Washington, D.C, January 17, 2023—Catholic composers, poets, and songwriters are invited to join the effort to renew our zeal for the Eucharist in ways that words cannot express through the Eucharistic Revival Musical Competition. Sponsored by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Secretariat for Evangelization and Catechesis, Catholic artists may submit creative entries spanning a hymn-writing category and a theme song category to give a fresh voice to the truths of our faith. Award-winning submissions will be featured at the 2024 National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis, used in liturgies and events marking the Eucharistic Revival in dioceses across the country, and will receive a $2,500 cash prize.
“The mystery of the Eucharist is expressed particularly poignantly through the beauty of poetry and music. Congregational song unites us as a community and reminds us that we are one Body of Christ,” remarked Marilyn Santos, Associate Director of the USCCB’s Secretariat of Evangelization and Catechesis. Referencing the Vatican II document “Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy,” Santos notes the growing and expanding contributions of each generation of composers to the musical tradition of the Church as “a treasure of inestimable value,” forming an “integral part of the solemn liturgy.” (CSL no. 112).
New and original works will be evaluated across the following criteria: poetry, musicality, creativity, theological and doctrinal soundness, beauty, appropriateness for liturgical use, and expression of the mission of the Eucharistic Revival (as applicable). Texts that expound upon the doctrine of the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist and express our unity as the body of Christ are of particular interest.
“The Musical Competition is just the beginning of a number of initiatives on the horizon for the Revival in 2023 that celebrate the beauty and mystery of the Eucharist,” said Tim Glemkowski, Executive Director of the National Eucharistic Congress, Inc. “Beauty is the mark of a loving God, and we are excited to see creative expressions from talented Catholic artists that embrace the beauty of Christ and give new light, color, and voice to the truths of our faith.”
Submissions are being accepted now through April 21, 2023. A panel of expert judges from Oregon Catholic Press, the Society for Catholic Liturgy, Source and Summit, the Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions, and GIA Publications/World Library Publications (WLP) will determine a winner for each category to be announced on June 9, 2023. Rules and guidelines for the contest are available in English and Spanish. Interested individuals may submit their original hymn or theme song idea and $25.00 entry fee here.
The National Eucharistic Revival is a multi-year initiative by the bishops of the United States to reinvigorate devotion in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. In order to bring the national congress to fruition, the National Eucharistic Congress, Inc. was established to plan and implement the 2024 event in Indianapolis.
For questions about the Musical Competition, please contact evangcat@usccb.org.
For more information and a complete press kit, visit eucharisticcongress.org/musicalcompetition.
