By Poetry Festival Singapore
SINGAPORE – To contribute to the flourishing of the literary arts and to mark the first papal visit to Singapore in 38 years in Sep 2024, Poetry Festival Singapore is launching Heart Fiat, a new poetry collection by award-winning Singapore author Desmond Francis Xavier Kon Zhicheng-Mingdé.
“The poems within this new collection have journeyed with me over several years,” Kon says. “The manuscript was rather complete, being readied for the publisher. When the Holy See Press Office announced that Pope Francis would travel to Asia and Oceania, with a stop in Singapore, I was delighted and excited. The timing simply couldn’t be more perfect. I had renewed passion, all amped up to make this book not just respectable, but a worthy tribute. It is with deep humility and gratitude that I dedicate this first edition to Pope Francis, whom I have such admiration and love for.”
In early September, Pope Francis will make an Apostolic Journey to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, and Singapore. In 1986, Pope Saint John Paul II made a trip to Singapore. This year, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore remains grateful in welcoming Pope Francis to its shores, between Sep 11–13. Indeed, the country’s Catholic faithful are greatly looking forward to the Eucharistic celebration with the Pope on Sep 12.
As a Roman Catholic, Kon regards Heart Fiat as the most personally significant work within his oeuvre. He shares that it counts as one title among his most fulfilling projects to date, which include two anthologies, both co-edited with Eric Tinsay Valles, a long-time collaborator— and in veritate et caritate, Kon’s godfather. A Given Grace: An Anthology of Christian Poems commemorates the Philippine Quincentennial and Singapore Bicentennial of Catholicism, and was selected for exhibition at the Catholic200SG Festival in 2021.
The following year saw the launch of The Jesuit: Finding God in All Things, an exclusive anthology specially created to mark the Quadricentennial Canonization of St Francis Xavier and St Ignatius of Loyola. The co-editors set a world record when both anthologies collected multiple literary accolades. This feat of accomplishment represented a world’s first-ever—twice over—for any writer to receive both the Illumination Christian Book Gold Award (Digital Media) and the Living Now Gold Book Award (Digital Media) for two separate publications in consecutive years.
As the author goes on to share, Heart Fiat remains his love gift to the Catholic Church. “The poems now take on a brighter hue,” Kon says, “overlaid and infused with more blessed meaning. This collection is an expression of my steadfast, intense and profound love for Christ.” Individual poems have previously appeared in over twenty literary venues, including such esteemed international journals as Rabbit from Australia, Poems for Ephesians from Canada, Voice & Verse from Hong Kong, QLRS from Singapore, and Notre Dame Review from the USA.
This first edition is published by Poetry Festival Singapore. In various markets, the book will be available for purchase under Resource Publications, an imprint of Wipf and Stock Publishers. Kinokuniya ships Heart Fiat worldwide. For book details and online purchase, please visit Kinokuniya’s website here: https://singapore.kinokuniya.com
