150 Entries Received for the PURIHI’T PASALAMATAN Songwriting Competition:A Testament to Faith and Creativity

With the submission period officially closed, Jesuit Communications (JesCom) and the Jesuit Music Ministry (JMM) are overjoyed to announce a remarkable response to the PURIHI’T PASALAMATAN: Fr. Eduardo Hontiveros, SJ Liturgical Music Songwriting Competition, which garnered 150 original entries from across the nation and overseas. 

The first iteration of this biennial competition drew entries from Luzon (115), Visayas (19), Mindanao (11), and even abroad (5)—a testament to the wide and growing reach of Filipino liturgical music inspired by the legacy of Fr. Eduardo “Fr. Honti” Hontiveros, SJ, the Father of Filipino Liturgical Music. 

While the full range of themes reflected in the entries is as diverse as the composers themselves, many songs touch on key elements of the Catholic Social Teachings (CST) of the Church—such as care for creation, the dignity of the human person, and solidarity. These core teachings, first laid out in Rerum Novarum, Pope Leo XIII’s 1891 encyclical, find new resonance today with the election of Pope Leo XIV, a name symbolically tied to that historic milestone.

“The entries we received reflect a beautiful response to the different themes of the Catholic Social Teachings of the Church,” shared JMM Director Lester Mendiola. “We’re also excited about the wide range of musical styles. Many submissions show strong potential for liturgical use. Maraming salamat po for participating.”

With a grand prize of ₱100,000, and cash awards for second and third place, PURIHI’T PASALAMATAN also emphasizes the importance of original compositions in Filipino and other local languages, continuing Fr. Honti’s vision of a liturgy that truly speaks to the Filipino heart.

As the preliminary judging phase begins, JesCom and JMM express their heartfelt gratitude to all participants who have answered the call to serve through song. The list of finalists will be announced this June. 

In this season of thanksgiving, we sing in harmony with all who have offered their music as both prayer and witness—purihi’t pasalamatan natin ang Panginoon!

AMDG