Flame 2025 saw more than 10,000 young people from every part of England and Wales, as well as a group from Gibraltar and the Ukrainian national Chaplaincy, join chaplains, teachers, priests, bishops, and youth leaders, in selling out the OVO Arena Wembley in a huge explosion of faith and hope.
Inspirational speakers included adventurer and television presenter Bear Grylls, who spoke about his book The Greatest Story Ever Told based on the Gospel – every attendee received a copy.
In conversation with Catholic speaker David Wells, Mr Grylls shed light on his Christian faith:
“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.
“Faith is part of the adventure, faith is the adventure. It’s a journey… It’s a backbone, a streak of steel, the presence of Jesus besides us in the highs and the lows. It’s fire and life and water, all in one. It’s a journey.”
To a packed out and loud crowd, he added:
“I hope you have an amazing rest of Flame. You guys are unstoppable!”
Flame’s theme of “Unstoppable: Fan the flame of hope” echoed what Pope Francis calls us to be in this year of Jubilee: “Pilgrims of Hope.”
Rt Rev David Oakley, Bishop of Northampton, who is Chair of the Department for Discipleship and Evangelisation for the Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales, read a message from Cardinal Parolin on behalf of Pope Francis, who encouraged the young people saying: “Fan a flame of hope that is truly ‘unstoppable’ for Christ itself is its living source.”
Bryan Enriquez, a founding team member of the Hallow prayer app, spoke as well as Isaac Harvey MBE, an inspiring disability advocate.
Isaac Harvey said: “It’s about having faith, having hope, and at the end of the day having fun. Going with the flow, having fun, and taking opportunities as they come.”
Fr Dominic Howarth, a priest of Brentwood Diocese who co-chairs the planning team for Flame 2025, read a message from the Apostolic Nuncio in Great Britain, H. E. Archbishop Miguel Mary Buendiá, who encouraged the young people with these words:
“Let your faith shine brightly in the world, and know that you are not alone on this journey.”
The message from St Vincent de Paul Society was: “You are loved, you are lovable, and you are loved by God.”
CAFOD partner, Brian Maeba, a young farmer from Kenya, spoke about 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 encouraged the audience to support CAFOD’s debt cancellation campaign by shouting out “cancel debt and choose hope”.
Flame 2025 concluded with a moving moment of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, led by Cardinal Vincent Nichols, capping a day of spiritual renewal, encouraging young people to return to their parishes and schools as ambassadors of hope.
