A songwriting contest was opened recently to look for songs in honor of St. Therese of the Child Jesus.

The pilgrim relics of St. Thérèse are scheduled to visit the Philippines for the fifth time on January 2 to April 30 next year.

To commemorate the event, its organizing committee, led by the Military Ordinariate of the Philippines and the Jesuit Music Ministry, is searching for songs to accompany the occasion.

The competition is open to amateur and professional songwriters, composers, and lyricists until Oct. 28, 2022.

The contest’s theme is “Lakbay Tayo, St. Thérèse. Ka-alagad, Kaibigan, Ka-misyon,” which is also the theme of the visit of St. Thérèse’s relics.

Among the contest mechanics are:

• • The competition is open to Filipino citizens or individuals of Filipino descent at least 18 years of age, regardless of present address.
  • A maximum of two (2) original entries in Filipino, English, or a combination of both can be submitted per contestant.
  • Compositions must not exceed four minutes and thirty seconds (4:30) and should convey the overall theme.
  • Works featuring the values, teachings, and writings of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus are preferred.
  • The contest accepts liturgical, religious, and inspirational songs, whether slow or fast.

Submissions will be trimmed down to ten finalists, which will go through a final selection based on originality and creativity (30%), lyrics (30%), melody (30%), and overall appeal (10%).

Up for grabs are cash prizes for the top three composers, who will receive P30,000, P15,000, and P10,000 respectively.

Marie Françoise-Thérèse Martin was born on January 2, 1873 in Alençon, France.

At 15, she entered the Carmelite Monastery and lived a life of holiness highlighted by a childlike trust in God.

St. Thérèse died at the young age of 24 due to illness. Because of her masterful writings and impactful teachings, Pope John Paul II proclaimed her a Doctor of the Church in 1997.

Her pilgrim relics visited the Philippines in 2000, 2008, 2013, and 2018.

“This fifth visit is long awaited by many Filipino devotees, who recognize the saint as an example of living out one’s faith despite physician, mental, and social ills,” organizers said.

Complete mechanics and requirements for submission are found at the JesCom website.