Brian's message of hope to young people at Flame 2025

On Saturday 15 March, more than 10,000 young people, chaplains, teachers, youth leaders, priests and bishops from all over England and Wales gathered together at the Ovo Wembley Arena for a powerful celebration of Catholic faith and vibrant young leadership.  

Organised by CYMFED, the Catholic Youth Ministry Federation, Flame 2025’s theme of ‘unstoppable hope’ echoes Pope Francis' call for us to be pilgrims of hope in this year of Jubilee.

Brian spoke on stage about the challenges that young people face in Kenya and the agricultural training with young people that he is involved with. He talked about how he sees hope in the project that helps young people to find livelihoods through sustainable agriculture, as part of the work of Jesuit Hakimani, in partnership with CAFOD. 

Ashley Bendina works alongside Brian and joined Flame online. Ashley spoke about the importance of access to education and how young people have the power to build a better world. Ashley introduced the global debt crisis, explaining how 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. 

The CAFOD section was chaired by the singer-songwriter Adeniké Adewale, who is also an ambassador for CAFOD. As well as singing her own music and popular hymns on the day, Adenike called for action on the debt crisis alongside Brian and Ashley, encouraging 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 them. 

Brian left the crowd with a message of hope:

“Today I want to encourage each and every one of you to embrace the call to be unstoppable…God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love. With God’s strength and guidance, you can achieve great things beyond your wildest dreams. "

At lunchtime, a team of 20 young CAFOD volunteers shared the 'cancel debt, choose hope' message with young people, sharing facts about the debt crisis and encouraging them to take action and demand change by adding their fingerprints to giant hand placards. 

Flame 2025 included music, prayer and inspiring speakers, including adventurer and television presenter Bear Grylls who spoke about his book The Greatest Story Ever Told, and Isaac Harvey MBE, who shared his inspiring experience of overcoming challenges and advocating for disability rights. 

Representatives from St Vincent de Paul Society urged attendees to become agents of change in their communities.  

Musicians like Guvna B and 8Beatz electrified the crowd along with Adeniké Adewale and One Hope Project, while singer Lily Jo's insights into mental health offered practical messages on resilience and self-care. 

Flame 2025 concluded with a moving moment of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, led by Cardinal Vincent Nichols. This quiet moment of reflection capped a day of spiritual renewal, encouraging young people to return to their parishes and schools as ambassadors of hope. 
 
Flame 2025 left a lasting spirit of hope and unity in the hearts of all who attended. The inspirational gathering reminded everyone that young people, as pilgrims of hope in this Jubilee Year, are the unstoppable hope of today and will continue to play a powerful role in the Church and the world.