Catholicpedia

Catholicpedia puts the original Catholic Encyclopedia, all fifteen volumes from 1917, on your phone or tablet through a clean, searchable interface.

You get more than eleven thousand articles, sorted by letter and linked by tags. There is a multi-keyword search engine, a favorites list, sharing by email and Facebook, and AirPrint support if you want to print an entry. It comes from the team at the Divine Office Catholic Ministry, who have made several well-regarded Catholic apps.

This covers the same ground as the older Catholic Encyclopedia apps, and the search engine is the part that earns its keep. Being able to chase a topic across eleven thousand articles with a couple of keywords turns a dense reference into something you will actually use when a question comes up. The full body of older Catholic teaching is all there.

It is good for catechists, for the curious reader who likes to follow a thread, and for anyone who wants a serious Catholic reference that works without a signal.

Like the other version of this Encyclopedia, it is from 1917, so the language is older and nothing after that date is covered, including the Second Vatican Council. It is English only. Treat it as a deep historical reference rather than a current one.

It is free, from Surgeworks, Inc. On the App Store here: Catholicpedia. A well-built way to carry the classic Catholic Encyclopedia, with its age kept in mind.