Held on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., the Bartholomew Garelli Festive Oratory is free and aimed at young people between the ages of 14 and 24. The activities take place in the educative and pastoral complex of the Salesian Presence in Goiânia, where CESAM Goiânia, The Goiânia Salesian College, and St John Bosco Parish are located. Since its inception, the Bartholomew Garelli Oratory has seen growth in participation, with approximately 2,000 young people attending in 2025 alone. Offering snacks and workshops such as futsal, volleyball, basketball, flag football, the oratory has become part of the weekly routine of Goiânia’s youth, attracting participants from different regions.
For the rector in charge of the Salesian Presence in Goiânia, Fr Wagner Gama, the oratory deeply reflects Don Bosco’s Preventive System, as it is linked to the beginning of the Salesian mission. “The Salesian Congregation did not begin with schools, parishes, or universities, but with the oratory. Don Bosco’s purpose was precisely to care for those who were poorest through this mission environment. So when we strengthen oratories we are strengthening what is at the beginning of Don Bosco’s work.”
By offering participants a safe, educational, and fraternal environment, the oratory fulfils a role that goes beyond leisure. Its impact is also felt in integral formation, contributing to the encouragement of discipline, teamwork, and the strengthening of solid values. The Bartholomew Garelli Festive Oratory is a space for listening, guidance, and youth leadership, where young people find new friendships, develop social-emotional skills, and feel they belong to a community that believes in their potential.
Antônio Tavares is 16 years old and says he really likes the oratory because it is a place where he can be and have fun with friends. “The first time I came was because a friend of mine invited me, saying that the oratory was really cool. I came to play with him and now I come every Saturday because it really is a great place, a great time to spend with friends, there are snacks, and the courts are good quality. The educators are also very dedicated, which keeps the project going and improving every day.”
Also 16 years old, Caroline Matos points out that she has been participating in the Bartolomeu Garelli Festive Oratory since 2024 and highlights the care that participants receive. “They welcomed me very well. Here is a peaceful environment, where the educators treat us as if we were their children. It’s amazing because we can come to play and talk. I feel a love that we don’t normally feel from other people. I love participating.”
The experience at the oratory also has an impact on the lives of young people who have already been involved in other Salesian Presence mission environments in Goiânia. Pedro Santiago is 17 years old and explains that he got to know the oratory when he participated in the CESAM Goiânia Socio-Learning Program. “It’s very interactive here, with lots of interesting activities and sports. I really like it because it helps me stay in shape, and I also get to spend time with my former coworkers and the teachers.”
The oratory claims to be a living expression of the Salesian mission in Goiânia, keeping alive its commitment to youth. According to Fr Wagner, the desire is that this mission environment can contribute more and more to young people, offering opportunities, hope, and paths to a better future. “The Bartholomew Garelli Festive Oratory was a great pastoral initiative of the Salesian Presence in Goiânia and is flourishing and bearing fruit. For this year, we hope that it will bear even more fruit, with an even greater presence of young people, evangelization, and social action.”
Source: Salesians BBH
