The largest contingent belongs to the EphataDon Bosco movement, based mainly in Farnières. Led by Salesians and lay people, young people and families are divided into 5 groups: 11-13-year-olds, 14-16-year-olds, 17+, Avanti (young professionals) and families. Through weekend or short stays in Farnières and camps in Belgium and abroad, Ephata offers young people the opportunity to re-examine their lives in the light of the Gospel, based on the teaching and spirituality of Don Bosco. In 2022, more than 220 young people and adults participated in these activities.
The city of Liège, where the Salesians have been for a long time, has several groups.
The Fort-Rêveurs gathers young people from 12 to 16 years of age once a month to share activities and solidarity actions in the neighbourhood. They organise special events at Christmas and Easter, a pilgrimage, trips to Farnières, etc.
The second group is the Soyeureux: young people aged 17 and over who meet once a month to discuss a theme drawn from the Gospel. They participated in the launch of the WYD preparation path held at Maredsous Abbey last year and will go to WYD in Portugal in August.
Also in Liège, students and young professionals run a Homework School, which offers tutorials to local young people and those from the nearby Don Bosco school, as well as a recreational centre during the school holidays for about forty local young people. The coordinator is Salesian Bro. Bruno Stordeur.
Now there is also Direction Dinant (south of Namur), where the Espace Dominique-Savio is based, coordinated by Paul Donnez, permanent deacon and Salesian Cooperator. The project is managed by eight young adults from the Youth Aid Service and the Youth Protection Service, who want to offer young people what they themselves experienced during childhood and adolescence. So they formed a steering committee to create three projects: the Art et Foi theatrical project, a Salesian oratory that combines cycling and spirituality and, finally, a workshop for the rehabilitation and repair of bicycles. They meet in person every two months.
In Brussels, more precisely in the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians work in Ganshoren, three activities in particular deserve to be mentioned. This year, the oratory, open to children from 11 to 17 years of age, brings together an average of 20 people (14 young people and 6 leaders) of 13/14 years of age. It is the continuation of the catechesis programme run by the local pastoral group, but it is open to all young people in the neighbourhood who want to deepen their faith. The meetings are held one evening a week, in addition to various intense moments – of formation, spirituality and solidarity – throughout the year.
Then there are the school camps for local young people which bring together between 40 and 60 leaders in the various seasons, coordinated by about fifteen young leaders.
Finally, the Sisters also manage the Bosco Saturdays: an open door monthly activity for all the young people of the neighbourhood, to play and learn to live together in the spirit of the Don Bosco family.
In Louvain-la-Neuve, the FMA's DonBoskot – or Don Bosco student hostel – is a project for students who want to grow in their faith and donate their time to help others. Four Salesian Sisters and two students in formation share the students' lives and offer their leadership to 21 students from Lebanon, Switzerland, Italy, France and Belgium. They are asked to attend a meal together once a week and to take part in the prayer that follows. These two moments are prepared by each of them in turn.
Also in Louvain, the Salesian Saint-François-d'Assise Oratory welcomes about fifteen young teenagers once a week. The goal is to help them become “good Christians and upright citizens.”
Finally, in Farnières, the Salesian summer camp takes place near Vielsalm, between Liège and Luxembourg. It brings together 40 young people from 5 to 10 years of age and 4 young leaders for a week. Each year a different theme is explored through a wide range of fun activities. The oratory, on the other hand, is aimed at young people aged 11 to 17, and meets every fortnight to discuss a film or an event, play board games, have dinner and pray together.
In total, about 500 young people are welcomed in the various groups of the Don Bosco Jeunes de Belgique Association. This number shows great energy and several working groups have been created within the association. One of them, for example, is organising a formation weekend for all the leaders on Don Bosco's educational methods, another is studying how to share resources among all the groups (equipment for the camps, audio systems, vans…), and another is preparing the application for recognition of the ADBJ as a youth organisation, which could give it access to grants and civil services.
The Board of Directors of the ADBJ is made up of Jean Poivre, President; Ilse Strady, Secretary; Isabelle Dethy, Treasurer; Xavier Ernst and Valentine Delafon.
Sister Joëlle Drouin
