FLAME OF LOVE RETREAT DAY - BELFAST

Our Belfast retreat day took place on Monday 2nd February 2026, on Candlemas the Feast of the Flame of love and The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple.

The Irish Flame of Love Apostolate in Ireland received permission on 19/11/2025 from Bishop Alan McGuckian for the Flame of Love Movement to be propagated within the parishes of the Diocese of Down and Connor. We thank him for this, for his prayers and blessings and for allowing our retreat day to be promoted in all the parish bulletins of the diocese. We are so grateful to be able to hold a day in Belfast so soon after receiving this blessing.

We would like to thank Martin Ramsey, Peter, Patricia, Geraldine, Dymphna and all the Belfast Cenacle members for asking their parish priest Fr. Timothy Bartlett for permission to hold this day, inviting us to come to their parish, for setting up the hall and providing a warm welcome with tea and sandwiches for attendees and for all the help they provided. We also thank the caretaker for his help.

Although this retreat was held on a weekday, the hall was full with over 50 people in attendance. Praise God!

We thank Catherine, our singer on the day, for her beautiful, uplifting singing and for all the thought she put into choosing the hymns.

We had talks from Eileen Boden, Frances Devaney and Geraldine Halton, as well as testimonies from Patricia McIlhone, Liz Oprey, Kate Mulligan Doherty, and Martin Ramsey. A big thank you also to all who led the Cenacle prayers and diary readings. We had an opportunity for questions and answers and fellowship.

The parish hall is beautiful and bright and it was a perfect venue for the day. We were able to join the daily 1pm Mass in St. Mary’s Church, Belfast, the oldest Catholic church in Belfast. We thank Fr. Timothy for celebrating the Mass, wearing the FOL vestments and for his permission to give an Introduction to the Flame of Love after the Mass, which was given by our Spokesperson Eileen Boden. The church is truly beautiful with a large grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes on its grounds. The passing of the Flame of Love Candle ceremony in a nearly full church was a highlight of the day. All the congregation in the Church held lit candles. Fr Bartlett instructed us to raise our candles high. It was a wonderful sight to see all the candles (all the lights in the darkness!) in this beautiful Church in Belfast.

The Spiritual Diary of Elizabeth Kindleman was flying off the shelf at our literature table, and we sold out of all our Flame of Love candles and mugs. We also launched our new bi fold prayer card with both the Unity prayer and the Fol Haily Mary on it. Thanks to Marie for working on the literature stall all day long as well as helping in many other ways.

Thank you to the lady who made such a charitable donation towards the literature distributed at lunchtime in Belfast, we were amazed by her generosity. Many people who may not have had the money were able to buy a Spiritual Diary on the day. May she be blessed for her altruistic act.

We thank all who attended, those who travelled, those who helped organise the day and all who prayed for its success. Your presence truly mattered.

All of Heaven was rejoicing at seeing so many souls in the very heart of Belfast being filled with amazing abundant blessings.

If you would like to bring the Flame of Love to your parish and/or prayer group contact us at info@flameoflove.ie.

If you have an existing prayer group or cenacle please register it here to let other know about it

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