We’re halfway through Lent, and while some people will have decided to take a break from phones, apps and screens during this season, others might be looking for some digital prayer inspiration.
Thanks to the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth for alerting us to this list of Catholic apps which could provide just the Lenten resource you’re after.
To see more about each app, head to the Catholic Apptitude site, which featured the original article.
Loyola Press (https://www.loyolapress.com/our-catholic-faith/liturgical-year/lent): offers wonderful resources to enrich your Lenten journey, including daily meditations, artworks, prayers, activities, and books.
Busted Halo (https://bustedhalo.com/): Live Lent joyfully with Busted Halo’s videos, reflections, Lent calendar and daily challenges!
Catholic Australia: (https://www.catholicaustralia.com.au/the-sacraments/lent): maybe you’d just like some straight-up information about what Lent means and why it’s important. Well, this is the place for you. Heaps of info and resources for Holy Week.
Caritas Australia (https://lent.caritas.org.au/#blank): it’s not just the place to donate to Project Compassion, but also where you can get great fundraising ideas, challenge yourself or a friend to give up something for Lent, or read featured stories of people whose lives have been changed by Project Compassion.
Dynamic Catholic (https://dynamiccatholic.com/best-lent-ever): gives tools to help you have, well, the best Lent ever. Sign up (it’s free) to receive daily inspirational videos and to become even more awesome.
Simply Catholic: (https://simplycatholic.com/your-guide-to-a-catholic-lent-everything-you-need-for-a-more-spiritual-lent/): a great Lent how-to-guide, covering everything from fasting to purple cloth coverings to Stations of the Cross for the elderly.
For your phone (available through App Store or Google Play)
Exodus 90: a 90-day spiritual challenge for men – Lent can cover part of those 90 days! It’s free to install, with an additional monthly purchase of AU$15.30 to finish the program.
MP3 Cardinal Newman: audio recordings of almost 200 talks from St John Henry Newman, who was canonised in 2019! The app requires Internet connection to access the audio. It’s free to download and comes with some sample talks; if you want unlimited access, it’s AU$1370.
3D Catholic: promotes prayer, fasting and almsgiving, the three works of Lent! It gives you daily reminders for things like prayer time, abstaining from meat on Fridays, and performing at least one corporal work of mercy each week. And it’s free!
Pray As You Go Lent Retreat: a free, daily 11-minute audio retreat which includes music, Scripture and questions for reflection. Specific retreats for Lent are released once a week. You can also set a reminder notification to pray, so you won’t forget!
The Chosen: an original TV series about Jesus, designed for Apple or Android tablets or smartphones. The first four episodes of Season One are free, with the final four available for purchase (AU$30.55). You can check out the pilot episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVt14Ug-GOs
Sacred Space: a daily audio retreat produced by the Irish Jesuits and Loyola Press. They collaborate with Pray-As-You-Go to produce special retreats for Lent. It’s a perfect way to spend a few minutes of your day reflecting on God’s word. Plus…it’s free!
Passion of Jesus: engages you real-time in the last 24 hours of Jesus’ life, through images, reflections, responses and prayer intentions. The app gives you the ability to set your own times for reflection, and also includes the Way of the Cross of St Alphonsus Liguori and the Way of the Cross through the eyes of Our Lady! Only AU$2.10 (Apple watch) or AU$1.50 (Android).
Magnificat Lenten Companion: Maybe you’ve heard of Magnificat, the popular devotional booklet? Now you can get it on your device! It includes daily Mass readings, the Stations of the Cross, meditations, devotional prayers and more. Download costs vary depending on your particular device.
Catholic Meditations for Lent: meditations from St Thomas Aquinas! A great way to reflect on Scripture with the help of this great Doctor of the Church. The Lite version is free; full version costs AU$4.60.
Rice Bowl: offers daily meditations and sacrifices for Lent. By pricing various items you might give up for Lent, it encourages you to donate that amount to Catholic Relief Services. It also includes prayers, goal-setting, meatless recipes for Fridays (so cool!), and stories of people who benefit from CRS assistance. It’s also free to use.
Lent Buddy: simple reminders of Church requirements for particular days during Lent, as well as of the goals you set for yourself. You can choose what you’d like to focus on during Lent, and also what time you’d like the reminders to appear. Available for AU$1.50.
Truth and Life Audio Bible: with this app, you can listen to the Bible (RSV – Catholic edition translation) read by over 70 actors, with an original music score and sound effects. Text is free, but you need to make an in-app purchase to unlock all the audio. You can also set a forty-day reading plan with this app,
Via Dolorosa: you can walk the Stations of the Cross with Jesus, through this app’s photos, background music, reflection, prayers and interactive map of Jerusalem. Perfect if you are unable to get to a church to pray the Stations. Cost is AU$4.60.
Way of the Cross: combines traditional Stations with Scripture passages and reflections from Pope Benedict XVI’s Good Friday Way of the Cross prayer (2006-2011). You can choose the particular reflection and year you’d like to listen to. Available on Android for AU$3.05.
iStations: combining traditional images of the Stations of the Cross with St Alphonsus Liguori’s devotional text, available as an audio version. You can use the art for your own personal reflection, and the app also includes traditional prayers in English and Latin. It’s available for AU$3.05.
Via Crucis: combines beautiful artworks with St Francis of Assisi’s Way of the Cross, in four languages! Available for AU$3.05 on Apple devices.
iCatholic Music: maybe you need some music to get you in the Lent zone? This app streams contemporary music, Gregorian chant, audio Rosary and Divine Mercy chaplet, podcasts, and the ability to offer your own reflection on how the app has helped you….and all that is free!
Great Catholic Music: hymns and contemporary Catholic music prepared by Living Bread Radio. Just music, no commercials or other resources. And it’s free, too!