2 Other iPhone Apps for Catholics

iPhone: pretty popular

The final part of a three part series on iPhone apps for Catholics.

In our second installment, we looked at two apps meant to help you pray in outward ways (part one found here).  The Divine Mercy Chaplet can be prayed with many people, ditto the Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office).  This last installment will take a look at two apps meant to be introspective prayer aides, helping us to turn to God in different ways.

Here are our last two apps we'll preview in this series.

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Prepare for Confession
You may have heard of this app. The Vatican heard of it and said it was not a replacement for the Sacrament, which was not the intent of the app creators (full disclosure: I'm friends with one of the app developers). Downloaded by Catholics and Whoopi Goldberg alike, Confession (Cost: $1.99) presents you with a customized, but traditional, examination of conscience depending on your vocation, age, and sex. Once you set up/select your password-protected profile, you start your examination. Sins, categorized by the Ten Commandments, are presented to you. Tap the sins you have committed through each Commandment. At the end of the examination, this list is presented to you during a walkthrough of the structure and prayers of the Sacrament (a digital replacement for cards found in many confessionals). I recommend using this app in preparation of the Sacrament and not during Confession itself.

Daily Mini-Retreat
“3 minutes a day can give you 24 hours of peace,” says Loyola Press, the makers of this app. The iPhone version of an online free offering, 3-Minute Retreat (Cost: $.99) plays reflective music in the background while presenting you with Scripture, a brief reflection, questions, and prayers. A great way to start your day focused on God, each day centers around a different theme related to our faith, eg: “Choosing the Good,” “God Provides,” and “Letting Go of Fear.” For those of you who prefer to pray in Spanish, each day’s offering is available in Español as well.  There's also a version optimized for the iPad, if that suits your fancy.

Have you tried any of these apps?  Have other ones you us and want to share with others?  Leave a comment and let us know.

Image: Idea go / FreeDigitalPhotos.net