10,800 enthusiastic young Catholics, celebrity speakers talking about their faith, inspirational music, a message from Pope Francis, and a quiet time of Adoration were all part of FLAME 2025 at a packed Wembley OVO Arena on Saturday. Every diocese in England and Wales was represented and a good many their Bishops, as well as priests, chaplains, teachers, and youth leaders. They settled into an afternoon on the theme: ‘Unstoppable – Fan the Flame of Hope’, based on the call of Pope Francis to be ‘Pilgrims of Hope’ in this Jubilee Year.
The guiding Scripture was ‘Fan into a flame the gifts of God’ (2 Tim 1:6). Bishop David Oakley of Northampton, Chair of the Department for Discipleship and Evangelisation for the Catholic Bishops of England and Wales, read a message from Pope Francis which said: “Fan a flame of hope that is truly ‘unstoppable’ for Christ itself is its living source.”
Columbans were involved in multiple ways. Over the lunch time, Columban Faith in Action Volunteer Abi Yendole, previous Faith in Action Volunteer Juliette Bone and our Justice, Peace and Ecology Coordinator James Trewby, engaged young people with an activity challenging misconceptions about people seeking sanctuary in Britain. James is also a trustee of CYMFed, representing Religious orders and societies on the board. Ellen Teague of the Columban Justice, Peace and Ecology (JPE) Team attended as a journalist. Sr MaryAnne FCJ, another JPE team member, accompanied a large group of students from FCJ schools, including 107 students from Gumley House School in West London. Abi represented the Columbans on the main stage as part of the procession and final liturgy, proudly wearing a t-shirt with the message ‘Faith calls us to action for justice, peace and care for creation’.
A huge cheer greeted the first speaker, adventurer and former Chief Scout Bear Grylls, when he ran onto the stage and opened with “being here makes my heart really sing.” In conversation with Catholic speaker David Wells, Grylls shed light on his Christian faith. He described himself as being a shy and “unspectacular” child whose childhood dream of climbing Everest seemed dashed when an accident at the age of 21 broke his back in three places. “My family and my faith were part of my holding on,” he recalled, “and, step by step, thinking that, whatever it takes, one day I will do this.” Eighteen months later he did reach the summit and went on to a successful career as survival expert and television presenter. He said: “Faith is in your heart, faith is in relationships, faith is a constant connection to the Almighty. I have many struggles, many doubts, I really don’t have it all together, but I know that I am loved and held, and the light shines.” A cheer greeted his final words: “You guys are unstoppable! God bless!”
Another inspirational speaker was disability advocate Isaac Harvey, who was born with no arms and short legs, “but that hasn’t stopped me from embracing every adventure life has to offer.” We saw images of him enjoying wheelchair rollerskating, skydiving, modelling adaptive clothing, being awarded an MBE by Prince Charles and visiting Lourdes. Speaking from his electric wheelchair, he said: “It’s about having faith, having hope, going with the flow, having fun, and taking opportunities as they come.”
Helping others to overcome hardship, inspired by Catholic Social Teaching, was another strong theme of FLAME. Members of the St. Vincent de Paul Society talked about supporting ex-prisoners to see themselves in the best light and to understand, “you are loved, you are lovable, and you are loved by God.” They invited the crowd to turn to neighbours, lighting up their faces with mobile phones, and saying these same words, which they did.
CAFOD partner, Brian Maeba, from the Jesuit Hakimani Centre in Kenya, spoke of rural projects to address youth unemployment, despite the country’s challenges of economic woes and the climate crisis. He went into more detail on the global debt crisis, where some of the world’s poorest countries make huge repayments on high-interest loans to wealthy banks, institutions and governments, leaving them unable to fund essential services. Brian, and his colleague Ashley online, encouraged the audience to support CAFOD’s debt cancellation campaign by shouting out “Cancel Debt and Choose Hope,” as placards with these words were held up beside him.
This session was chaired by Adeniké Adewale, a popular singer and songwriter who is also an ambassador for CAFOD, which has “deepened” her faith. As well as singing her own music – including a Jubilee Song – she skilfully led the vast audience is singing a few lines of popular hymns, and then inviting them to join her. They enthusiastically did so with, ‘This little light of mine,’ ‘O when the saints,’ and ‘Ave Maria.’
Other speakers included De la Salle Brother Chris Patiño from San Francisco who introduced himself as “the proud son of Mexican immigrants” before saying that, “our great mission as a Church is to humanise our world.” He highlighted De La Salle work with young people at St. Cassian’s, Kintbury, in Berkshire, and the opening of a new school in South Sudan to offer a “transformative educational experience” despite ongoing conflict. Speaker Brian Enriquez – whose popular Hallow Prayer App offers audio-guided prayers, meditations, scripture readings and Christian music – elicited screams around the arena when he showed a video of famous celebrity users, including actors Mark Wahlberg and Chris Pratt.
FLAME 2025 concluded with a moving service of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, led by Cardinal Vincent Nichols, based around the Jubilee text in Luke 4. The large auditorium hushed as images of moving flames appeared on the screens, and the lights of thousands of mobile phones around the arena waved in time to the singing of ‘The Servant King.’ On the stage were musicians of the One Hope Project worship collective, the bishops, and young representatives of the agencies that supported Flame 2025, including Columbans, Salesians of Don Bosco, Religious of the Assumption, Discalced Carmelites, CAFOD and the Catenians. Cardinal Nichols encouraged young people to return to their parishes and schools as ambassadors of hope.
In his thanks to the gathering, Fr. Dominic Howarth, a priest of Brentwood Diocese who co-chaired the planning team for Flame 2025, echoed the words of Pope Francis that, “God believes in you.” He hoped the young people and those cultivating their faith would travel home “sparked” with enthusiasm for growing youth activities in the Catholic Church. Part of the ethos of FLAME is to offer a broad experience of the Church and inspire action locally.
Certainly, young people facing long journeys home after setting out around 4am on Saturday morning described the FlAME experience online as “wonderful” and “a powerful day of faith, inspiration and unity” and “an unforgettable experience for our Confirmation candidates.”
FLAME 2025 was the sixth one since 2012, and the biggest so far. It is organised every two years by CYMFed, the Catholic Youth Ministry Federation of England and Wales, which brings together every Diocese, along with religious orders, movements and organisations who work with young people. CYMFed is supported by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales.
