Oud-Heverlee, Belgium – April 2024 – On 27 March 2024, Salesian Father Jan Wauters turned 100 years old, and received, in addition to dozens of greeting cards, congratulations from the Mayor of Oud-Heverlee, Bart Clerckx, from Bishop Emeritus of Ghent, Bishop Luc Van Looy, SDB, and from the Salesian community in Oud-Heverlee to which he belongs. The actual feast was celebrated in the Salesian community in Oud-Heverleen on 1 April , with the traditional cake cutting that took place after five moving speeches. Salesian Wilfried Meert traced Fr Wauters’ story, with some surprising events such as his mother's relationship with Woinke Turck, who at 112 years and 186 days, became the oldest Belgian woman ever. Fr Wauters took the floor to personally thank his family, the Salesians, the many friends in his life, the staff of the residential and care centre, and finally God: "It is thanks to him that I am here" he said amid general emotion. Fr Jan Wauters entered the novitiate at Groot-Bijgaarden (Belgium) on 24 August 1946, and made his perpetual profession on 1 August 1953. He was ordained a priest on 5 August 1956 in Oud-Heverlee. Among his assignments in the community he was Rector and Vice-rector of various Salesian presences in Belgium.