Brittany Wilson | Social Media Coordinator

My Poppop recently got a sleek, new, blue iPhone 5 — shout out to Deacon Bill Wilson of St. Gregory the Great Parish, Hamilton Square — and he’s learning to navigate with relative ease.

He said when he was younger he never would have thought he’d be able to carry a talking navigation device, personal computer, camera and telephone in the palm of his hand, all at the same time.  In addition to those four things, you could add hundreds of thousands of different apps that perform different functions — from games and video players to clothing boutiques and travel aids the options are nearly limitless.

So for you — and Poppop, of course — I’ve compiled a non-comprehensive list of a handful of great paid and free apps that can be of use to Catholics. None of the apps listed below is inherently better than any other, and this list is provided just to alert you to what’s available on your smartphone.

Here you go:

Notes (Free):  You can jot down short prayers, intentions, reflections or whatever else comes to mind while you are on the go. And, a notepad already is installed no matter your smartphone of choice.

The Pope App (Free): This includes all the latest news and information about Pope Francis that is produced by the Vatican’s own media services. The app also lets you watch events that are live streamed from the Vatican, read the full text of the Holy Father’s homilies and visit the Vatican through several webcams that are in St. Peter’s Square and the vicinity.

3-Minute Retreat (Free): Loyola Press has been putting out these 3-minute retreats for a while now. They all include part of the day’s readings and a short reflection set to calm, instrumental music. It’s a nice way to relax at the start — or end — of each day.

 Patrum (Free): Launched in mid-August, this is the new app from the Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums. It includes short feature stories about people who work in the museums, provides tips for tourists, and explains the art and architecture at the Vatican.

Pinterest (Free, but you’ll need to create an account): Bear with me. This is the app that’s almost synonymous with crafting and dream-wedding planning, but it does hold a lot of other value. The Monitor has a Pinterest account and has boards dedicated to meatless meals for Fridays in Lent, Pope Francis, the saints and places of worship in the Diocese, just to name a few. There also are several parishes, schools, universities, other dioceses and many, many Catholics who share crafts, Sunday school activities and more with those who follow along.

Prayers 2,000+ ($2.99): As the title suggests, this app has more than 2,000 prayers in English, Latin, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, German and French. Highlights include all the Official Common Prayers, blessings, litanies, novenas, scripture meditation and much more.

iRosary ($2.99): This app works like a traditional Rosary, but it tells you the prayers, remembers your place, and makes it easier for you to find time to pray during your busy day because your phone is likely within 10 feet of you at all times.

iMissal ($4.99): There are several  different ways to find each day’s readings across the Web. However, iMissal was granted an official Imprimatur and is the only Catholic app of its kind that doesn’t require a Wi-Fi or cellular signal to access all of its content. So if you’re lost in the woods and can’t make a phone call, you still can read Scripture. The app also has an audio option.

If you have any apps that you love and would like to share, let me know about them!

Brittany Wilson is the Diocese of Trenton’s Social Media Coordinator, she can be reached by emailing [email protected].