By Jc Montenegro, Miriam Hernandez & Luis Chacon
Because we know education is a matter of the heart St Dominic Savio Church and the Salesian Family Youth Center, located in Los Angeles County, opened their doors to welcome children and young people. The "oratorians" are from 5 to 13 years old, and the animators are from 14 to 18 years old as "animators." They come to experience God's love through the Salesian Spirit and the preventive system.
The fantastic thing about these oratories is the fact that they are young people-led. They meet weekly or monthly depending on their location, and they plan all the activities that will happen each Saturday.
St Dominic Savio started the oratory at the request of Sr Carmen Palacios, FMA+ and Fr Joe Nguyen, SDB with the idea of creating a place where SDBs and FMAs can work together for the children of the community. After one year off because of COVID, the oratory was open with around 50 children and animators happy to be back at their Salesian Home. The oratory has been alive in Savio for the last seven years.
Our oratory Miguel Magone at the Salesian Family Youth Center started five years ago when the new administration took over. Even though it has been challenging, the oratory started with around 20 children between animators and oratorians.
The oratory it's completely free for children to have a place to share and grow in their faith! it is our mission to get children excited about their catholic faith in a creative and age-appropriate way. Oratory participants are involved in prayer, games, workshops, sports, performing arts, crafts, storytelling, scripture reading, and much more. Don Bosco's system is still changing the lives of our children; Don Bosco is alive in Los Angeles