Catholic Devotions Lite

Catholic Devotions Lite is a free prayer app built around a Catholic devotion book compiled by Rev. Bonaventure Hammer, O.F.M. — the Franciscan friar whose Mary, Help of Christians and other devotional works were popular in the early twentieth century. The Lite version gives you a generous slice; the full version unlocks the rest.

You get morning and evening prayers, prayers before and after confession, prayers before and after communion, prayers during Adoration, and a longer list of intercessions and devotions for particular needs. There's a reminder feature that can prompt you at a set time of day, or by location if you want a prayer waiting when you walk into a particular church or workplace.

Fr. Hammer's prayers have the feel of an older Catholic devotional life — direct, plain in language, unembarrassed about asking for specific graces. They're shorter and more concrete than a lot of contemporary prayers, which can be a relief when you're tired and don't have the focus for something long.

Good for Catholics who want a daily prayer routine without a subscription. Useful before and after confession when you want a prepared act of contrition or thanksgiving and don't trust yourself to come up with one on the spot. Also good for parishes that want to point people to a free starter prayer app.

It's a Lite version, so you'll hit the paywall on some of the longer devotions and the full content. The interface is dated and the typography isn't great — it feels like an older app that hasn't been redesigned in a few years.

Free with a paid upgrade for the full version, by Leonard Mamangkey. Available on the App Store: Catholic Devotions Lite. A solid free start if you want a classic Catholic devotional on your phone.