10 Ways to Use Your Smartphone

Can a smartphone help you grow in holiness? Jeff shares 10 practical ways to transform your device from a distraction into a tool for deepening your faith.

Shownotes

10 Practical Ways to Use Your Smartphone as a “Holy Phone”

1. Set Spiritual Alarms & Reminders: Use alarms to remind you of prayer and sacred moments throughout the day—such as the Angelus (6 AM, 12 PM, 6 PM), Divine Mercy Chaplet at 3 PM, feast days, or intentions you want to pray for.

2. Wake Up to Praise & Worship Music: Instead of a harsh alarm tone, use uplifting worship or Catholic music as your wake-up alarm to begin the day with peace and prayer.

3. Create “Holy Lists” in Your Notes/Reminders App:

• People to pray for
• Books to read
• Confession notes
• Talks, podcasts, or movies that strengthen your faith

4. Use Your Phone for Lectio Divina & the Examen: Save the steps of Lectio Divina and the Ignatian Examen in your notes so you can easily pray with Scripture and reflect at the end of the day.

5. Build a Library of Faith-Building Podcasts & Videos: Create playlists or collections of Catholic podcasts, YouTube videos, and teachings on topics like Mary, the Eucharist, suffering, the Mass, or apologetics.

6. Use “Mass Times” or Similar Apps While Traveling: When you're on the road, use apps like Mass Times (or USCCB parish locators) to find Mass, Confession, and Adoration wherever you are.

7. Use Scripture & Study Apps to Grow Spiritually: 

• Verbum (Logos Catholic version)
• AccordanceThese allow you to access Catholic resources, Church Fathers, Scripture commentaries, and study tools.

8. Fill Your Day with Praise & Worship Music: Create playlists that uplift your soul during drives, workouts, or chores—on platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, or inside apps like Hallow.

9. Listen to Catholic Radio Through Apps: Access Catholic radio anywhere—EWTN, Relevant Radio, Ave Maria Radio, Guadalupe Radio, etc.—through their apps or streaming services.

10. Use Catholic Apps to Support Your Spiritual Life: Some highlighted apps include:

• Ascension App (Bible in a Year, Catechism in a Year, Bible studies, podcasts)
• Hallow (prayer, rosary, sleep meditations, devotions)
• Laudate (prayers, devotions, apologetics)
• iBreviary / iMissal (Daily Mass readings, Liturgy of the Hours, prayers)
• Confession & Novena Apps (to guide your examination of conscience or pray novenas)
• USCCB App (church teachings, daily readings, resources)