AJHS student Josh Ong Ante creates cover art for book-journal ‘Despite the Distance’

Josh Ong Ante (Pamplona/9-Sitjar) is the creator of the beautiful artwork depicting the Church of the Gesù that graces the cover and back cover of “Despite the Distance: A Book-Journal to Reflect on the Pandemic.” Published by Jesuit Communications (JesCom), the book is authored by Miriam R. Delos Santos and is a project of Ateneo de Manila University’s Office for Mission and Identity (OMI). OMI wanted an Atenean representing the youth to design the book cover. They eventually commissioned Josh to do the cover art after seeing his works, some of which are on the website of AJHS Grafiction, Josh’s co-curricular organization when he was in grade 8.

The book was launched on September 21, 2022 at Rizal Library’s Matteo Ricci Room with University President Fr. Bobby Yap SJ, AJHS Head of Campus Ministry Fr. Ro Atilano SJ, and JesCom Executive Director Fr. Nono Alfonso SJ in attendance. Per the book launch invitation, “Despite the Distance” desires to harvest the lessons and process our experiences from the past two years of the Covid pandemic by collecting some of the reflections posted by OMI from March 2020 to November 2021. It also includes questions and spaces for introspection and prayer.