By Mark Saludes
SINGAPOREAN author Desmond Francis Xavier Kon Zhicheng-Mingdé received eight awards at the 2025 Catholic Media Association (CMA) Book Awards, with six wins for his poetry collection Heart Fiat and two shared honors for an anthology co-edited with longtime collaborator Eric Tinsay Valles.
The CMA Book Awards, held annually during the Catholic Media Conference—in Phoenix, Arizona this year from Jun 24 to 27—recognized “outstanding works that resonate with Catholic values, promote faith, and inspire reflection and understanding,” according to the Association’s website.
Kon’s Heart Fiat, published in 2024 and dedicated to Pope Francis, garnered top distinctions across multiple categories: two First Place awards for “Church Life: Pastoral Ministry Catechetical” and “Special Collections: Backlist Beauty”; two Second Place citations for “Church Life: Pilgrimages/Catholic Travel” and “International Publication: Poetry”; one Third Place for “Special Collections: Poetry”; and an Honorable Mention in “Education: Faith Formation.”
“I will forever treasure being present at the Papal Mass at the National Stadium last September,” Kon said. “There hadn’t been a Papal Mass in Singapore since 1986 when St. Pope John Paul II came, the first time a pope had ever visited us. That Pope Francis departed this year just left the world with a deep, profound sadness. It makes this poetry collection even more significant and meaningful for me.”
Judges praised Heart Fiat for its spiritual depth and literary merit. One citation described it as “an engaging text that permits readers to really enter into the mystery of particular images and occasions.” Another noted it as a “wonderful set of poems that penetrates the soul… captivating, encouraging and inspiring.”
Additional reviews highlighted the personal and theological depth of the work. “A touching and profound poetry that springs up from the heart of a man grateful to God,” one statement read. “In every experience, in every moment of life, even in situations of suffering and confusion, the author sees the light of the Holy Trinity saving him.”
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