Catholics Have Apps for The Faith

  • A mobile app is a software application designed to run on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablet computers. Most devices are sold with several apps bundled as pre-installed software, such as a web browser, email client, and calendar.
  • Apps are becoming increasingly popular and essential to daily life in America. As of June 2016, Android users were able to choose between 2.2 million apps. Apple’s App Store remained the second-largest app store with 2 million available apps
  • Spirit FM: The Diocese of St. Petersburg offers a radio app, built by Jacapps, that lets you listen to three radio stations: Spirit FM, The Light and El Fuego. To download the app, visit http://www.spiritfm905.com/App.
  • myParish App is a service of Diocesan Publications that helps Catholics stay focused on their faith. Features include an event calendar, readings of the day, group messaging options, Catholic news, online giving, confession times, Mass times, parish info, and bulletins.
  • St. Paul Parish in Tampa uses Web4U Corporation for their parish app.
  • One Parish App is a service of JS Paluch that provides faith enrichment information and podcasts, tweets from Pope Francis and other information.
  • Hallow App: Hallow is a prayer app that offers guided meditation sessions to help us grow in our faith & spiritual lives and find peace in God.

Here are general tips when deciding to offer a parish or school app (also view tips here):

  • Use a recommended and reliable company that will keep your data secure.
  • Understand the purpose of the app and the target audience, then seek to fill an unmet need for your audience. Offer functionality that will enhance a person’s connection to their faith life and make vital information, such as Mass times, easy to access.
  • Before launching an app, test it thoroughly. Survey a core group and make adjustments as needed.
  • Provide the app on multiple platforms so that more people have access, such as iTunes and Google Play store.
  • Update your app on a regular basis so that people will have a reason to check it often.
  • Determine a plan for instant (push) notifications. Asking for permission to send push notifications is essential. By explaining the purpose, this will help ensure support. Notifications can be used to send meeting cancellation notices, weather closures, breaking news and important event and topical information. Push notifications can also be a call-to-action for an immediate need such as watching a video or visiting a website. Keep your content short and have a personal message because you are sending it to a person not a device.