Claiming Technology: Novena App

For the 40 days of Lent, Novena.com is offering a special .99 app titled simply, Novena.  (For the iphone) It’s a beautiful app with traditional images from holy cards and it’s a lovely way to use your smartphone to help you pray through Lent…and beyond.

The app allows you to search for novenas under various categories:

• Health
• Occupations
• Situations
• States of life
• Angels
• Evangelists
• Holy People
• Martyrs
• Mystics
• All Saints
• Favorites (this is a section for you to add your favorite novena to!)

Then there is an amazingly detailed glossary that is linked and cross-referenced (by subject/intention/need) to the 36 saints on the app.  Each is linked to their unique and very strikingly beautiful holy card page.

Now, let me tell you about the amazing holy card page that each saint of this app has!  The page contains the following options, each of which are linked on the page:

• Symbols – this is a link that opens a transparent window super-imposed over the holy card image and lists the symbol(s) and WHY that symbol is significant for that saint!
• Novena associated with that saint
• History of the saint
• Feast date of the saint – this is possibly my favorite feature.  Click on the date (it’s a hyperlink) and the app will ask you if you’d like to add that date to your phone calendar! (Note that the Feast linked is the Feast date on the New/Current Calendar, not the Traditional Calendar)
• Share option – you can share via Facebook, Twitter, Email, or MMS
• To Favorite a Holy Card or Novena, you toggle the beautiful image of the Sacred Heart found at the bottom-center of every Holy Card page.

The art on each of the holy cards is simply stunning and truly an assistance in lifting the heart and mind! This is the list of the 36 saints included in the app:

• Saint Agatha: Breast cancer
• Saint Aloysius Gonzaga: AIDS sufferers
• Saint Alphonse Liguoris: Arthritis sufferers
• Saint Anthony of Padua: Lost Objects
• Saint Blaise: Throat ailments
• Saint Catherine of Alexandria: Philosophers
• Saint Claire of Assisi: Television workers
• Saint Dymphna: Mental illness
• Mother Cabrini: Immigrants
• Saint Francis of Assisi: Ecologists
• Saint Gabriel, Archangel: Teachers
• Saint Gerard Majella: Infertility
• Infant of Prague: Desperation
• Saints Joachim and Ann: Grandparents
• Saint John of God: Heart ailments
• Saint Joseph: Fathers
• Saint Jude: Impossible causes
• Saint Lucy: Blindness
• Saint Martin de Porres: Racial harmony
• Saint Michael, Archangel: Policemen
• Mother of Sorrows: Grief
• Saint Monica: Wayward children
• Our Lady of Guadalupe: Motherly comfort
• Our Lady of Perpetual Help: All causes
• Saint Philomena: The poor
• Padre Pio: Forgiveness
• Saint Peregrine: Cancer
• Saint Raphael, Archangel: Travelers
• Saint Raymond Nonnatus: Newborns
• Saint Rita of Cascia: Impossible causes
• Sacred Heart of Jesus: Family peace
• Saint Therese of Lisieux: To create a loving atmosphere
• Saint Thomas Aquinas: Students
• Saint Vincent de Paul: Abandoned children
• Saint Vincent Ferrer: Builders

Here’s the direct itunes link to the app.  Remember – it’s only .99 during the 40 days of Lent!

A blessed Lent to you!