The Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy is here! You will want to browse a variety of mobile apps out there that target specific arenas of mercy which we are called to let permeate into our spiritual journey. Check back to this site for updates throughout the year as we discover more app gems out there related to this grace-filled year. We look forward to seeing your mobile app recommendations in the comments section below.
The official Year of Mercy is December 8, 2015 to November 20, 2016
- An explanation of the Year of Mercy, Indulgences for the Year of Mercy and the significance of Holy Doors
- Daily Mercy reflections
- Everyday Scripture reflections
- A Calendar of Jubilee Year events
- Year of Mercy resources
- Daily Pope tweets
- Year of Mercy news stories
- Chaplet of Divine Mercy
- Articles teaching about Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy
Our complete overview of this app is here.
Misericors (Free) Apple, Android — It is not enough to talk about mercy; we must live it. That is the straightforward aim with this app: getting users to do works of mercy in their daily lives. For this reason, Misericors is one of our featured Year of Mercy apps worthy of your attention. Here’s how it works:
After signing in, we are immediately hit with a listing of Spiritual Works of Mercy and Corporal Works of Mercy. Several examples are revealed under each work. That way we learn what the Church teaches about these types of service of love to others. We are then encouraged to choose an act of mercy and commit to doing it. Conscious of the youthful audience, the app offers a means of social engagement whereby users post specific acts of mercy they performed. This is a wall populated by a world-wide audience and another audience in the user’s language. On this wall, for example, a user may post under clothe the naked...”I sorted my clothes and donated a bunch to the thrift store.” Under comfort the afflicted...”I comforted someone whose dog is dying.” What a creative way to share fresh ideas and encourage one another!
The app keeps track of your deeds so you can see your personal progress in developing a habit of conscientiously looking for opportunities to perform works of mercy.
Considering that the popular 20th century devotion to Divine Mercy is rooted in Poland (with the revelation to St. Faustina), the combination of this Year of Mercy app specially designed to work in conjunction with World Youth Day in Poland is irresistible. Although it is Polish-based, Misericors automatically opened up in English after a United States download. Available in English, Polish, Italian, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian.
From Developers: “Join other Catholics in your area praying the Angelus every day at noon, abstaining from meat on Fridays throughout the year and performing least one corporal work of mercy weekly. View the real-time map to see where others are practicing the 3 devotions. Upload prayers to the prayer intention stream and take other users’ petitions into prayer while you are engaged in the practices of the 3D Catholic community.” Check out this detailed look at the movement behind this app.
We like the fact that it is a simple, yet serious attempt to help users cultivate a life-long habit of prayer, fasting and engaging in works of mercy. Just as with quality health/exercise apps, this app is integral to the process of engaging in fundamental spiritual exercises which can radically transform us in our spiritual journey.
Features
– Set daily reminders for Praying the Angelus at noon and Fasting on Fridays
– Find opportunities in your area to volunteer; add reminders to your personal calendar
– Prayer Intention stream generated from the app community
– Anonymously share prayers with people around you
– Track your progress on Prayer, Fasting, and Works of Mercy
Sacrament of Reconciliation – Confession
“How much wrong we do to God and his grace when we speak of sins being punished by his judgment before we speak of their being forgiven by his mercy.” Pope Francis – Homily, Opening of Year of Mercy
The sacrament of Reconciliation is a necessary component of receiving a plenary indulgence available during this Jubilee year. Check out our selection of apps that help walk you through the sacrament of reconciliation on our Confession Apps page.
As Pope Francis wrote in his formal Letter outlining the Jubilee Year of Mercy Indulgence, “It is important that this moment [of walking through a Jubilee Holy Door] be linked, first and foremost, to the Sacrament of Reconciliation [Confession] and to the celebration of the Holy Eucharist with a reflection on mercy.
Divine Mercy
- Interactive Chaplet of Divine Mercy with an audio option
- Detailed explanation of the three ways to observe the Hour of Great Mercy
- Stations of the Cross, complete with images and the text of St. Faustina’s Way of the Cross
- Images of Divine Mercy
- Explanation of the Feast of Divine Mercy, also known as Divine Mercy Sunday, complete with answers to frequently asked questions
- Novena to Divine Mercy and other popular Divine Mercy prayers…and more!
Catholic Social Teaching
It is not enough to receive mercy. We must also be merciful and develop a merciful heart full of compassion.
– Poetry that helps you contemplate the miracle of mercy (Sundays)
– Meditations from saints and spiritual masters who share their profound insights into this divine gift (Mondays)
– Profiles of saints whose lives exemplify extraordinary witness to mercy (Tuesdays)
– Teachings of the Catholic Church that explain and highlight this virtue (Wednesdays)
– Stories and testimonies of people who have chosen the path of mercy, including non-canonized faithful, literary figures, and victims of tragedy (Thursdays)
– Reflections on essential Scripture passages that reveal God’s merciful nature (Fridays)
– Devotions and prayers that draw us closer to God’s merciful heart (Saturdays)
“The fullness of grace can transform the human heart and enable it to do something so great as to change the course of human history.” –Pope Francis– homily, Opening of the Year of Mercy