Don Bosco
Alsembergsesteenweg 130
1501 Buizingen (Halle)
Church | | Contemporary | Catholic Church
Map
Opening hours
01 January - 31 December
Mon 9.00 - 16.00
Tue 9.00 - 16.00
Wed 9.00 - 16.00
Thu 9.00 - 16.00
Fri 9.00 - 16.00
Sat 9.00 - 16.00
Sun 9.00 - 16.00
Religious offices
Description
It wasn’t until 1963, that the statute of “parish” was granted, and with the appointment of the first pastor, Johan Boon, the statue of The Good Shepherd was inaugurated as well. The murals followed shortly after. The number of stained glass windows was gradually expanded with time. A full restyling of the church’s interior design started in 2018 and is still ongoing.
The parish, including parts of Sint-Pieters-Leeuw, kept growing. New streets and new inhabitants brought new life to the parish. The parish house, the Oxfam Fair Trade store, the community centre Ommekaar (situated at Hoogveld 1) saw the light of day. The parish let itself be known by both liturgical workgroups, as well as the creation of hiking trails, a re-instated church choir, … And Rik Devillé, known from the media, became its pastor in 1981. He wrote his first book in 1992 called “The Last Dictatorship’, a plea to a “parish without a pope”.
In 2002, an adjacent field around the church was purchased, on which a symbolic play ground and meadow were created. In front of the church, a water source by Felix Vancraenenbroeck was placed, and a statue called “Fire” by the hands of Luc Van Ruyselvelt. Next to the church, one can find a scattering and remembrance meadow adorned with statues by André De Baere. The parish took part in the Open Garden Days. The youngest decade - amongst other initiatives - a storytelling pit was added on the Oakfield. The church also includes the domain of Zennedal which serves as a youth hostel for 150 youngsters. All premises are wheelchair friendly. Both the church and the domain are always open for visitors.
In 2012, the parish won a price called “Fairest church of Flanders.”
KIKIRPA : Photo-library online
Open Churches Days 2022
Photos
Remarkable elements
Jesus and the Fishermen - Wall sculpture
On the front wall of the choir hangs a red copper semi-relief: 'Jesus, Peter, and the fishing boat', by Hans Biermann, Maria-Laach, Germany (1989). It is a combination of three evangelic themes that symbolize the community that gathers here weekly for mass.
Jesus, - the figure to the left - comes to the people. The word he speaks comes from 'another world': his feet aren't even touching the earth.
Peter, - lower figure to the right - symbolizing every man that is fearful that he might perish - reaches out to Jesus. The sea is a symbol of death and destruction in the bible. But Jesus also holds out his hand to Peter. This gesture wants to express 'saviour'.
A boat with four fish on it, there's even a little extra to it: the abundance of the catch. The fish one can see as a symbol of the whole community.
The big table
This table, composed of 8 bamboo tables by Arne Boom, symbolizes that last supper; it takes up a central place in the church to symbolize that we can all sit around the same table. Here, one shares bread and wine in memory of Jesus Christ, so that this too would happen between people.
Two ceramic communion- and bread trays, one with fish pattern and one with the pattern of the resurrected Christ are added to this table. The two trays are by the artist Ingrid Van Roy (Easter 2016). Notice on this table the 'Sermon box'. This box one can open if one chooses and one can pick a random text to be put back in the box afterwards. This sermon box consists of all the sermons of this year's mass services.
The way of the cross
These 14 terracotta in semi-relief in the church walls are made by Camiel Colruyt, Halle °1908 and was christened on September 15th, 1960 and depict the 14 stations of the way of the cross. The way of the cross starts below at the foot of Our Lady and goes round the church to end at the statue of Don Bosco.
Little baptism corner
At the cove at the front of the church, to your right, lie symbolically on a pedestal two hands that can scoop up water. Hence the title 'The waterScooper'. The statue and pedestal are made by the artist Luc Schets from Buizingen (2003) in which parents that baptize their child can drop a 'droplet' of baptismal water. The pedestal is a creation by Arne Boom (2018).
A globe - "The wholeness of creation"
This a copy of the candle holder from the 'Grand Church' of Stockholm and hangs (usually) in the middle of the church above the big oval table and comes with a wrought iron pedestal by the artisan blacksmith Jozef Dedobbeleer from Gaasbeek (1992). The theme 'The wholeness of Creation' (ecology) is highly regarded in this church.
The Ex'pe'ri'ence : a wavy stage
At the build of the church (1951) there was a difference in height between the choir and the nave of the church which was initially corrected where the big arch at the front between the nave and the choir touches the floor - with two stone lecterns both in the shape of the arch of a boat directed to the nave of the church. In between, were seven bluestone steps and a wrought iron communion rail anchored into the floor. In front of the statue of Our Lady and Don Bosco was a separate stone patio, each separated sideways by a stone lectern.
In the summer of 2017, this space was renovated to a wavy stage, multi-functional as a stage, seating area, staircase with wheelchair accessibility leading to the baptismal font, the children's corner, the sacristy and a toilet, also wheelchair accessible.
