“Every one of us needs half an hour of prayer every day, except when we are busy – then we need an hour.” (St. Francis de Sales)
As the hottest part of the year hits, vacations start winding down and teachers and students start preparing to go back to school, it can be easy to get out of the habit of regular prayer. But it is precisely when our lives get hectic that we need to lean on God the most, asking for His help to grow in holiness and love in the midst of our everyday lives, remaining faithful to Him and the teachings of the Church.
Hallow, a prayer app available for both Apple and Android users, offers a variety of ways to keep your life focused on the Lord, through prayer, meditations and even faith-based entertainment. Here are just five of the ways that you and your family can grow in faith even in the midst of a busy season of life:
1.Listen to faith-based music while you run errands or clean the house
Hallow has a wide variety of music to help keep God at the front of your heart and mind. Radio stations range from praise and worship to instrumental music and even include options for chant and Christian country music. “Praylists” give the option to choose specific songs or favorite hymns, including recordings from popular Catholic artists like Sara Kroger, Matt Maher and The Hillbilly Thomists.
2.Get to know a new saint
The saints are our heavenly companions who pray for us as we go about our daily lives, facing the same challenges they experienced during their lives on earth. Getting to know their stories can be one way to get to know how God works in our lives and be inspired to follow him in all circumstances. Hallow offers several ways to get to know new saints, including the Daily Saint (less than 10 minutes), Saints Alive radio theater stories designed for kids (30 to 45 minute episodes), actual recordings from saints like Pope John Paul II and Mother Teresa and more.
3.Get ready for Mass with Family Mass Prep
SiriusXM’s Catholic Channel host Katie Prejean McGrady and her husband Tommy McGrady unpack the readings for each Sunday Mass in a family-friendly and entertaining manner. Each episode is less than 10 minutes, making it the perfect listen in the car on the way to Sunday Mass so the whole family is ready to enter into the gift of the Mass and the Eucharist.
4.Add prayer to your nightly routine
At the end of a long day, regular prayer can provide a way to unwind, reflect and re-focus to keep God at the center of your life in the midst of hectic schedules. Hallow offers an examen to look back at your day and see where God was working, along with meditations to quiet your mind and heart to prepare for rest such as the Liturgy of the Hours night prayer, both spoken and chanted. There are even gentle music playlists and Bible stories designed to play as you fall asleep.
5.Participate in “The Way Back” prayer challenge
Beginning Aug. 9, following the Diocese of Gary’s Emmaus Conference, a special prayer challenge designed specifically for the faithful of Northwest Indiana will be available on Hallow. Each day will have a different topic: a homily from Father Declan McNicholas on Sunday, a priest vocation story on Monday, topics from the catechism on Tuesday and Thursday, a witness story from our parish communities on Wednesday, a recording with Bishop McClory on Friday and a focus on the Litany of Surrender on Saturday.
“The Way Back” prayer challenge is meant to inspire our local Church to live a more faith-filled life and encourage participants to be witnesses to the Gospel in our local communities through word and service. The prayer challenge will be available on all of the Diocese of Gary parish community pages within the Hallow app. To find your parish community on the app, click the “Community” tab at the bottom of the screen, click “Join a Church,” and search for your parish.
To learn more, including how to receive one full year of premium Hallow content for $1 through the Diocese of Gary’s partnership, visit dcgary.org/hallow.
