This year's Lenten Project 2026 for Don Bosco Houses will turn towards the Holy Land. And this year will also be innovative as we will combine our efforts in conjunction with another congregation: the Assumptionists.
« Our project will therefore have two impact locations: one location in Jerusalem and one location in Bethlehem.
In Jerusalem, we will support the Assumptionist community of Saint-Pierre en Gallicante. This is the place where Jésus spent the night during his passion, after having been arrested on the Mount of Olives. In Bethlehem, we will support the Salesian Professional Training Center, 500 meters from the place where Jésus was born. Our project therefore has one leg in Palestinian territory, in the West Bank, and the other leg in Israeli territory, on the outskirts of Jerusalem.
As part of this Lenten campaign, we will unite our strengths and resources, under the auspices of the Province of Europe of the Assumptionists, and the Don Bosco Foundation, the Foundation of the FRB Province – France Belgium South of the Salesian Family.
For our two entities, the communities in the Holy Land are of great importance and need our support. The political context in this region is currently extremely complex, making the daily lives of the populations particularly fragile.
Our strong conviction is that education is the most certain source for people to maintain their autonomy and for young people to find work, build a future, and be able to start a family.
Without education, none of this is possible. Let us rise to the occasion and build the future.”
Sister Geneviève Pelsser, a Salesian nun,
President of the Don Bosco Houses Association.
The Saint Peter in Gallicantu Youth Center in Jerusalem
After the Last Supper in the Upper Room and the agony in the Garden of Olives, the path of Christ's Passion leads us to Saint-Peter Gallycantu.
Just a few meters from the ramparts of the Old City of Jerusalem, the sanctuary of Saint-Peter-in-Gallicantu (from the Latin «galli cantu,» «where the rooster crowed») is built on the eastern slope of Mount Zion, at the traditional site of Caiaphas' palace.
Pilgrims from all over the world come here to walk in Christ's footsteps, to relive one of the pivotal moments of his Passion. The sanctuary of Saint-Peter in Gallicantu carries a message of mercy, manifested by the gaze Jesus cast upon Peter after his third denial. Through that gaze, Peter felt all the mercy and forgiveness of the Savior. This message still touches us today in this place where tradition locates this event. It is fitting to highlight this message through the discovery of the «stones that speak to us.» This is the purpose of this visit.
The Saint-Pierre in Gallicante site is run by the Assumptionist Community. The Assumptionists are assisted by the Oblate Sisters. The Assumptionists and Oblate Sisters are helped throughout the year by volunteers. They are welcomed for a minimum of one month if they are volunteers and three months to a year if they are participating in a volunteer program. The Assumptionist Lay Volunteer Program is offered in conjunction with the D.C.C. (Catholic Delegation for Cooperation).
The Saint-Pierre project in Gallicante:
The Lent 2026 project aims to strengthen the capacity of the Assumptionist community to welcome young pilgrims who come to meet them. Currently, a dormitory with 48 beds allows groups of young people to be accommodated with complete autonomy. Pilgrims are invited to simply integrate into the life of the community. They are responsible for the maintenance of their rooms and for their lunches and dinners. It is possible to participate in the prayer life and eucharistic celebrations of the brothers and sisters present.
The Salesian vocational training center of Bethlehem
Bethlehem, whose name means «House of Bread» in Hebrew, is a small town whose history has shaped the world. Nine kilometers south of Jerusalem, this humble place is the meeting point of history and faith. It is here, in a cave on the outskirts of the city, that Jesus was born. Today, Bethlehem, nicknamed «the City of the Star,» recounts this sacred story through its winding streets and historical monuments. The «Star Street,» believed to be the path taken by the Magi, leads to «Manger Square,» where the Church of the Nativity stands. Beneath this ancient church lies the cave where Jesus was born.
Bethlehem is a city of profound spiritual and cultural importance. Revered by Christians and Jews, and respected by Muslims, the city is a true heritage treasure. Its markets are bursting with fragrant spices, handmade olive wood carvings, colorful ceramics, and the echo of prayers and pilgrims.
It is within this powerful framework that the Salesians of Don Bosco began their mission at the end of the 19th century. They built a convent near the old city, close to the Church of the Nativity. Over time, the Salesian Center grew: first an orphanage, then a school, and today a dynamic vocational training center, always true to Don Bosco's dream of serving young people.
Today, the Center houses the Don Bosco Scouts group (founded in 1922), a youth center that welcomes 150 children daily, and the Salesian bakery (founded in 1891), which provides free bread to over 100 families and charitable organizations. Since the 1950s, the Salesian Vocational Training Center has offered practical training in electricity, carpentry, renewable energy, mechanics, automotive mechatronics, graphic design, and digital marketing. These programs allow young people, both men and women, to acquire concrete skills such as repairing cars and circuits, installing solar panels, manufacturing furniture, and developing local businesses. Most courses last one year and include internships with local companies, facilitating the professional integration of students. For the 2024-2025 academic year, 306 students are enrolled, including 73 young women.
Don Bosco Bethlehem Project:
The Lenten Project 2026 aims to strengthen Don Bosco Center's programs with modern tools and equipment, enabling students to train with the latest technologies. With your help, we will acquire tools for mechanics and hybrid automobiles, including engines, simulation kits, and diagnostic devices, which are currently absent from our laboratory; low-voltage systems, encompassing fire alarms, audio systems, security cameras, and network installation tools to enhance our electrical training programs; materials, consumables, and tools for the carpentry workshop; and 30 desktop computers to meet the growing demand for graphic design and digital marketing courses, particularly among young women, and to foster creativity in designing materials such as wood, metal, and epoxy.
FOR THE PARTICIPATION OF YOUTH AND FAMILIES
The sums are collected as each year by the schools and forwarded to the Don Bosco Foundation. Families can donate online on a single website and receive their tax receipt (from 20 euros) by clicking the “Make a donation” button at the top or at this link
Companies can also contribute to the project and benefit from their tax receipt as well.
- For more information regarding the practical arrangements for donations, their payment, and tax receipts, please contact Isabelle Trupin, isabelle.trupin@fondationdonbosco.org
- For more information regarding the educational project and the project in Bethlehem and Jerusalem, contact David Crépy., david.crepy@fondationdonbosco.org
