Church launches mobile app to connect India’s community

Panaji: Archbishop Filipe Neri Cardinal Ferrao, who is the president of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI), launched an app in Bengaluru to connect the Catholic community in India.

The ‘Catholic Connect’ mobile app allows users to locate nearby churches and access services by the Church in India. It also provides spiritual resources and information on various Catholic institutions, entities, and associations, and broadcasts news and information from various regions.

“The app stands as a transformative tool that seamlessly integrates technology with faith, promising to bring about positive changes within the Catholic community,” said CCBI’s deputy secretary general, Fr Stephen Alathara, in a press release.

The decision to create this app was taken in May 2022, at the 88th executive committee meet of the CCBI. The trial version of the app was launched in Bengaluru last September.

“This app is set to spearhead a digital revolution within the global Catholic community, with a particular emphasis on India,” Alathara said.

The app will also help Catholics connect with their respective parishes and dioceses, as the app provides a page for ‘My Parish’ and ‘My Diocese’, with sections for information, events, notice board, announcements, and obituaries. Users of the app can select their parish and diocese during the registration process.

The app was launched at the plenary assembly at St John’s National Academy of Health Sciences in Bengaluru.