7 Great Apps To Guide You Through Lent

As Lent comes into view, many Catholics may take a break from technology. Erin Carelse suggests embracing a digital Lent with some helpful apps. 

The season of Lent is seen as a time of sacrifice and preparation, when many Catholics consider giving up something of value to them.

Some consider disengaging from their smartphone, but what if instead we use it to help bring us closer to God (don’t worry, you can still give up Facebook!).

Technology is everywhere, and when used correctly, it can enhance our daily lives. 

Apps, in particular, are increasingly becoming a part of our daily routines. They can also be good for our faith in terms of helping to set reminders of when to pray, making it easy and convenient to delve deeper into readings, and encouraging, motivating and holding us accountable in our daily spiritual practices.

Here is a list of seven great apps, available on both IOS and Android, to help you on your Lenten journey.

To find them, just use their name in the search function of your phone’s “app store”.

Most of these apps are very helpful not only in Lent but also throughout the year.

1. Hallow

Hallow is an audio-guided Catholic meditation and prayer app that aims to help people combine the peace and stillness of meditation with the spiritual growth of prayer.

It offers a variety of prayer techniques, a choice in audio guides, sessions organised by theme, and options for session length.

The app features 200 sessions of prayer in various categories of Christian prayer such as vocal prayer, mental prayer, Lectio Divina, contemplative prayer, the Examen, spiritual writing/journalling, Taizé and chant.

“Pray lists” offer themed content such as meditations on humility, which involve praying through the litany of humility.

There are also meditations based on the Rosary, the Stations of the Cross, and a “Daily Prayer” section which is based on the readings of the day.

2. Laudate

Promoting itself as the #1 free Catholic app, Laudate is one of the most packed Catholic apps out there while still maintaining its easy navigation.

Features include Liturgy of Hours, the New American Bible, interactive Rosary and Chaplet of Divine Mercy, numerous prayers and chaplets, links to Catholic media, a confession guide, and daily readings and saints.

The app is available in multiple languages.

3. 3D Catholic

Do you want to walk the Lenten road with others? 3D Catholic offers that option.

This simple app is designed to promote three traditional Catholic practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving: practices traditionally connected to the season of Lent.

You can join other Catholics in praying the Angelus every day at noon, abstaining from meat on Fridays throughout the year, and performing at least one corporal work of mercy weekly.

You can view the real-time map to see where others are practising the three devotions.

Users can upload prayers to the prayer intention stream and take other users’ petitions into prayer.

4. EXODUS 90

This 90-day spiritual exercise for men is an intense “make-my-daily-routine-uncomfortable” initiative. It emphasises traditional forms of mortification such as various forms of abstinence, physical discomfort, prayer and meditation to get you to break bad habits and form new ones.

It is based on three pillars: prayer, asceticism, and fraternity.

 Users will build up a habit of daily prayer by committing to praying for a holy hour each day and will read through the book of Exodus part by part.

The scripture will be accompanied by a daily reflection that will help comprehend the scripture for that day, understand where you are within the spiritual journey, and lead you into that day’s time of prayer.

5. Cardinal Newman Audio Library

With this app, you can listen to audio recordings of almost 200 talks by St John Henry Newman, one of the 19th century’s greatest English prose writers, and one of the great Catholic theologians of his time.

Through the voices of others but in his own words, Newman speaks on themes surrounding scripture, feast days and many subjects dealing with the human experience, Church teaching and spiritual growth.

The first recording offers an introduction to this great saint’s life and works and the source of the text of these recordings.

6. Pray As you Go

Pray As You Go invites users to spend about 11 minutes per day in a systematic method of prayer, which one follows in audio which combines music, scripture and some questions for reflections. 

A new prayer session is produced every day of the working week and one session for the weekend. The aim is to help you to become aware of God’s presence in your life and to listen and reflect on his word.

You are also able to set the time you’d like the reminder notification to pray.

7. Prayers for Lent and Advent

This app presents a series of prayers, one for each day of the Lenten period to help you grow in your relationship with God.

It also allows you to share the daily prayer easily with family and friends.

And, as the name suggests, you can return to the app in November for the season of Advent!

If you are considering holding on to your phones this Lent, think of these apps as tools that provide some help in you succeeding on your journey. 

These apps could well have a long-term impact spiritually in your daily life by helping, encouraging, motivating and inspiring you.