No. 69 | Livin on a Prayer

101 Reasons Why Now Is The Best Time In History To Be Catholic

May 17, 2025

In the age before smartphones, completing a novena required either the memory of an elephant or enough sticky notes to wallpaper your prayer corner. Today's Catholics, however, are embracing a divine digital revolution that has transformed this nine-day prayer marathon from "that devotion Grandma always forgot to finish" into a global spiritual phenomenon. As the creators of the Pray app (formerly Catholic Novenas) cleverly explain, "Jesus said, 'where two or three are gathered together in my Name, there am I in the midst of them.' The Pray app enables friends and communities to pray novenas together for specific intentions." No longer must you be physically present in a church basement with Betty and her rosary group to experience the power of communal prayer—you can now join thousands of strangers across the globe beseeching St. Anthony to find your car keys, all from the comfort of your couch.

The Catholic Encyclopedia defines a novena as "nine days' of private or public devotion in the Catholic Church to obtain special graces." While the practice dates back to the original nine days the Apostles spent in prayer awaiting the Holy Spirit after Jesus ascended (the OG novena, if you will), the digital age has given this ancient tradition a major upgrade. John Hallow, co-founder of the wildly popular Catholic meditation app Hallow, noted the absurdity that preceded this tech revolution: "when you're looking for novenas or prayers or anything online, it feels like you're stuck in 1997...You have over a billion Catholics in the world, why are there not really great technology products and consumer companies built for these religions?" Apparently, God finally heard that particular prayer, as Catholic prayer apps have multiplied faster than loaves and fishes at a hillside gathering.

The true game-changer in the novena space has been the reminder system. Services like Pray More Novenas boast about keeping you on track with your nine-day commitment through daily email reminders containing the prayers—no more abandoned devotional intentions due to forgetfulness! As their website promises, "You'll be praying together with thousands of faithful people all doing the same novena together." Meanwhile, the Intercede app (formerly Pray Catholic Novenas) features notifications that "gently remind you when you haven't prayed your novena prayer for the day," though users report that the Holy Spirit's nudges are considerably less gentle than the app's. One enthusiastic user testified that using the app has "literally changed my life...I have now prayed over 100 Novenas. I would not know this but for the app logging them for me." Catholic guilt has officially entered the digital age—now your phone can track your prayer stats like a spiritual Fitbit.

The social dimension of these technological novena aids cannot be overstated. Many apps and services now allow users to "invite your friends, family, priest or parish to join in prayer!" creating virtual prayer chains that would make your grandmother's phone tree organizers weep with joy. Websites like PrayMoreNovenas.com facilitate global prayer campaigns where thousands simultaneously petition the same saint—picture a heavenly inbox being flooded with the spiritual equivalent of "Reply All" emails. Some particularly tech-savvy parishes have even created parish-specific novena groups, where participants receive text messages or emails when it's time to pray the next day's devotion. This interconnectedness reflects what spiritual director Kate Davis notes about the Church's historical relationship with technology: "The Church used stained glass windows, way back in the Middle Ages, to educate people in the faith...Francis de Sales used the printing press...so it's wonderful how the Spirit won't be denied."

Perhaps most remarkably, these technological innovations haven't watered down the practice but have instead led to a resurgence in devotional prayer. Catholics who might never have attempted a novena in the past now find themselves praying multiple novenas simultaneously, aided by notification systems and the motivational knowledge that thousands of others are praying alongside them. The Catholic Doors Ministry website now boasts "A Treasure of 969 Catholic Novenas" spanning every conceivable need and saint, from the common "Novena to St. Anthony" to the wonderfully specific "Novena For Emotional Healing." What St. Augustine or St. Thomas Aquinas might have made of Catholics clutching smartphones while petitioning heavenly assistance is anyone's guess, but one imagines they'd appreciate how technology has democratized devotional practices once limited to the literate and religiously educated. As we navigate the spiritual challenges of modern life, there's something beautifully ironic about our most distracting devices now serving as portals to nine-day stretches of focused prayer. Just be careful which novena you choose—legend has it that St. Expedite works so quickly, your app might not even have time to send the Day 2 notification before your prayer is answered.

The Nuevo Renaissance

Discussion about this post