Hasselt (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The Ursuline Sisters donate their 1772 Hasselt convent (Huis De Roode Poort) to Asjette for 30 years, marking the non-profit’s 10th anniversary and expanding services for 90+ young adults weekly.
As VRT News reported, the Ursuline Sisters of Hasselt have leased their historic convent in the city centre to the non-profit organisation Asjette for 30 years.
“Our sisters moved along with the school,”
says Sister Francesca Rombaut, Superior General of the Ursuline Sisters.
“They found a warm welcome in the Clarenhof residential care centre. The convent itself was completely renovated in 2021, following the renovations at the Ursuline Court.”
The non-profit organisation Asjette is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a major milestone. The group has been facing growing demand for its services, and its current building was becoming too small to handle all requests for help.
“We reach about 90 young adults every week, but we’re currently facing a rather long waiting list,”
says chairman Jurgen Baens.
What will Hasselt’s Ursuline Convent offer as it becomes Asjette’s new home?
Spokesperson Bans said the organisation had been looking for a new location for some time.
“Finding the monastery was a true godsend,”
Bans said.
“If all goes well, we plan to move before Christmas. The relocation will be done in a structured way, together with our clients. We expect an official opening in the spring of 2026, which will include a blessing of the building by the Bishop of Hasselt.”
“The site used to be dedicated to education. It now continues to fulfil that role in a different form: a safe learning and working environment for young adults who need extra support,”
Sister Francesca continues.
The sisters said they are very pleased with the new purpose of the property.
“The building will serve a vulnerable group. We are giving it to an organisation that values Christian and evangelical principles. The soul of the house remains, but it now has a contemporary function,”
they said. The move ensures the historic convent continues to play an active role in the city.
The building is known locally as Huis De Roode Poort, or The Red Gate. It is located on Schrijnwerkersstraat and was built in 1772. The Ursuline congregation took ownership in 1879. For more than a century, the sisters provided secondary education on the nearby Groenplein square.
The convent was linked to the Free Technical Institute, commonly called “De Ursulines.” The school was well-known in Hasselt for technical and vocational training. It educated generations of students and became an important part of the city’s education history.
In 2016, the school merged with another institution and was renamed Hast. It moved to a modern campus near Hasselt station. The old school buildings were later demolished to build assisted living facilities. The convent itself has been renovated to preserve its historic features and to suit modern use.
Officials mentioned that by leasing the property to Asjette, the Ursuline Sisters are giving it a new role. The building will now serve social and community purposes instead of education. The project keeps the convent active in city life while preserving its historic significance.
