Digital Lent Online Resources and Suggestions

Busted Halo’s “Fast, Pray, Give” Lenten Calendar http://bustedhalo.com/features/fast-pray-give

Each day throughout Lent, starting Ash Wednesday, the calendar’s link for that day will become active, revealing a “Daily Jolt” of spiritual contemplation related to Lent, and new and practical ideas for fasting, prayer and almsgiving. The idea isn’t to be perfect but to continue on the path, so if you slip up one time, don’t give up… Simply begin again the next day. And share any struggles — slips or just difficulty you’re having — at the “Slip Support Station” on Busted Halo’s Facebook page.

NOTE: The regular content at Busted Halo (http://www.bustedhalo.com), run by the Paulist Fathers in New York, features articles, news reports, podcasts, blogs, video feed, discussion boards, and links to the Busted Halo Show on The Channel on SIRIUS XM Satellite Radio (channel 129)

Sacred Space: Daily Prayer Online http://www.sacredspace.ie/

Run by the Irish Jesuits, Sacred Space is a digital chance to pause for a few moments and bring a piece of sacredness into your otherwise busy day. Each day during Lent (and throughout the year), the site links visitors to Scripture passages, prayers, and contemplative exercises.

OTHER GREAT CATHOLIC WEBSITES

U.S. Bishops Conference (http://www.usccb.org/): the website of the USCCB with links to news about dioceses around the United States and bishops’ statements, departments, documents, and books; the site also links to the New American Bible (Rev. Ed.) and the daily Mass readings.

The Vatican (http://www.vatican.va/): the official website of the and Benedict XVI; includes links to encyclicals, prayers, Vatican II documents, papal travels, museums, and more.

Pope2You (http://www.pope2you.net/): page with sharable content and resources.

EWTN (http://www.ewtn.com/): the most popular Catholic website with streaming radio and television, as well as links to Catholic documents, video, readings, news, catechesis, and more.

Catholic Online, Catholics on the Net, and Catholic Answers (http://www.catholic.org/, http://www.catholic.net/, and http://www.catholic.com/ respectively): these websites feature regular content on Catholic news, apologetics, video, forums, and links to other great sites.

The Catholic Insider/SQPN (http://sqpn.com/): this international Catholic web portal, coordinated by Fr. Roderick Vonhogen of the Netherlands, includes web content, social media links, blogs, streaming video and audio, the Patron Index (http://saints.sqpn.com/), and links to Catholic mobile apps.

The Three-Minute Retreat (http://www.loyolapress.com/3-minute-retreats-daily-online-prayer.htm): run by Loyola Press, the three-minute retreat gives visitors a chance to pause for a few moments (in this case, three minutes) and take a quick journey into prayer and reflection. Catholic Mobile & Social Media Applications iBreviaryPro (free): Liturgy of the Hours, Daily and Sunday Mass Readings, and Catholic Prayers, downloaded from the internet (so a wi-fi signal or 3G is required when using this application)

Universalis ($24.99): Liturgy of the Hours, Lectionary, Daily and Sunday Mass readings, and Catholics Prayers already included in app (so no wireless connection needed to access everything) iCathlolicRadio (free) and Radio Vaticana ($3.99): live streaming from Catholic radio stations (iCatholic from Commuinications; Radio Vaticana from in several languages)

3-Minute Retreat ($0.99): from Loyola Press, a short daily reflection set to music, following the Ignatian tradition of prayer, Scripture, reflection, and discernment.

Mass Times (free): this app uses GPS location to find the nearest and give Mass times at those locations; you can also search for a particular church.

Confession ($1.99): this app, approved by the Church, helps prepare users for the sacrament of reconciliation with digital examinations of conscience, step-by-step guides, and prayer resources.

CatholicTV (free): visitors can watch the Mass of the day along with other programming from CatholicTV in the Archdiocese of Boston on your iPhone. (wi-fi signal is necessary to access content). art/y/fact.xn ($1.99): this tool helps app users interpret, learn about, meditate, and pray on countless Catholic and Christian artworks found in churches, museums, books, and websites.

Bishop Conlon’s Reflections (free): this podcast, run by the Diocese of Joliet, features reflections and inspirational messages from Bishop R. Daniel Conlon; these podcasts are also available on the main page of the diocesan website, http://www.dioceseofjoilet.org.

Fr. Jim Martin’s Tweets & Updates (free): popular author and Jesuit priest Fr. Jim Martin has frequent commentaries, videos, reactions, and reflections on Catholic topics and current issues; to follow him, go to http://twitter.com/JamesMartinSJ and/or http://www.facebook.com/FrJamesMartin.

For the latest and most up-to-date list of Catholic apps, go to http://www.stjudes.org/672758.ihtml, coordinated by the Young Adult Ministry of St. Jude in New Lenox, Illinois. If you would like to recommend a mobile app that is not on this page, email Matthew Krumdrick at [email protected].

Catholics & Lent on YouTube

The Vatican (http://www.youtube.com/user/vatican): the Vatican’s YouTube channel

The USCCB (http://www.youtube.com/user/usccb): the U.S. Catholic Bishops’ YouTube channel

Word on Fire (http://www.youtube.com/user/wordonfirevideo): Fr. Robert Barron’s YouTube channel

This Time of Forty Days.mov (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCmn7pDgXlc): Catholic comedic video on Ash Wednesday and Lent, written and sung by Nick Alexander (“Catholic Weird Al”).

Ash Wednesday in Two Minutes (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3L3c23MfC0): from Busted Halo, this quick two-minute video explains what Ash Wednesday and Lent are all about.

Holy Week in Two Minutes (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HugMM_3FfnI): also from Busted Halo, this quick two-minute video explains the meaning behind Holy Week and .