Blog Post

New Catholic Prayer Apps for iPhones

By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS Staff Journalist Adding to its impressive list of 140,000 applications - or “apps” - Apple’s popular iPhone now has apps for the Rosary and the Stations of the Cross, with even more devotionals in the works. The Catholic News Service (CNS) is reporting that Dave Brown of Bend, Oregon, invented a virtual rosary-beads app called an iRosary. It has animated beads that can be moved with a touch along with corresponding prayers that pop up on the screen. The application “knows” which mystery of the Rosary is to be prayed each day and will even mark the place where a user left off if their prayer was interrupted. Brown, an information technology manager at a window and door company, created the app in thanksgiving after doctors found a successful bone marrow match for his kindergarten-age daughter in 2008, which cured her of leukemia. During the ordeal, he and his wife, Jackie, frequently prayed the rosary for their daughter, even though one parent was with the child in Portland while the other remained at home in Bend. They bought iPhones to stay in touch and to send photos and videos. Brown recently told the Catholic Sentinel, Portland's archdiocesan newspaper, that within a year of its introduction, more than 20,000 rosary apps have been sold at a low price of 99 cents which he hopes will encourage as many as people as possible to pray the rosary. But that’s not the only new Catholic app. According to Agenzia Fides, Ave Maria Press has developed a Stations of the Cross which is based on Pope John Paul II’s Bible-based interpretation of the Way of the Cross. Written by Amy Welborn and adapted for iPhone use, it is scheduled to be unveiled during the Los Angeles Religious Education Conference to be held next week.   "We are delighted to explore creative digital ways of keeping our readers connected to God through prayer,” said Ave Maria Press publisher Tom Grady. “It's our hope that many will take advantage of this free prayer resource." And there’s more to come. The Riverside Press Enterprise is reporting that a San Bernardino priest is planning to use an iPhone app to deliver daily inspirational video messages. Divine Word Father Michael Manning, who hosts a show on cable television's Trinity Broadcasting Network, is planning to make his iPhone debut in April. © All Rights Reserved, Living His Life Abundantly®/Women of Grace®  http://www.womenofgrace.com

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