Worship goes wireless

MANILA, Philippines - The same technology that’s allowing millions of people to connect despite great distances is also bringing many of the Catholic faithful closer to their Creator.

Following the Vatican’s adoption of the Internet as a means to spread the word of God, many developers have come up with mobile phone applications that aid members of the Catholic Church in the practice of their faith. 

For its part, wireless leader Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) has launched SMS services that send daily religious content to subscribers.

For just P2.50 a day, Smart subscribers can receive Bible verses with prayers (by texting BIBLE ON to 488), religious quotes (by texting QUOTES to 777), or information about saints (by texting SAINT to 488).

And for P5 a week, they can get religious MMS images with short descriptions by texting HOLY to 489.

Downloadable on the Apple App Store for $1.99 is the iConfess app, which explains what Catholic confession is for, and helps Catholics make a thorough examination of their conscience in preparation for confession.

There are also virtual rosaries, prayer compilations, Mass readings, Catholic calendars, biographies of saints and popes, and of course, Bible apps, many of which come in different languages and with audio versions.

The Vatican itself has launched the website news.va, which provides a live stream of papal events, and contains transcripts of papal homilies, statements, and speeches, as well as links to Lenten music.

“The Church is going hi-tech. They are using the Internet, social media, and mobile communications to connect with their faithful. For instance, Catholics can download the entire Bible on their smartphone or tablet so they can look up passages anytime and anywhere they want, with just a few clicks on their device. Indeed, technology can serve the purposes of the faithful,” said Smart Public Affairs head Ramon Isberto.

The potential audience of these religious sites and apps continues to grow. In 2011, Smart recorded a 19-percent year-on-year expansion in its wireless broadband subscriber base to 1.6 million, and a 47-percent increase in subscribers who access the Internet using their mobile phone (to 2.2 million).