Run The Rosary

For many busy people, finding twenty quiet minutes to sit and pray the Rosary feels impossible. Yet the same people often manage a daily run, a long walk with the dog or a session at the gym. Run The Rosary starts from that simple observation and asks why the two can't go together.

Prayer in motion

Run The Rosary combines upbeat music with recorded prayers, so you can pray the Rosary while you run, walk or work out. It keeps track of the mysteries of the day for you, so you don't have to think about which set to pray while you're catching your breath. The idea behind it is that we often remember and focus better when we are moving, and for many people a run is far easier to schedule than quiet prayer. This app brings the two together.

There is a long Christian tradition of walking prayer, from pilgrimages to processions, and this is a modern, sweaty cousin of that. It won't suit everyone, but for the right person it can turn exercise into a regular appointment with Our Lady.

What to know

The app is free to download, with a $5.99 yearly subscription listed in the store. It hasn't been updated since July 2020, so it may look dated and could run into trouble with newer versions of iOS. It holds a 4.0 rating from 20 ratings, which is decent but a small sample.

It is also, by design, not a contemplative Rosary. The music and pace are meant to keep you moving, not to help you sit in silence with each mystery. If that is the kind of prayer you need, a quieter app will serve you better.

Run The Rosary suits runners, walkers and gym-goers who want to fit the Rosary into a busy life, and it might appeal to teenagers who find a still Rosary hard going. It is a fun and faithful way to pray on the move. Try it on your next run, and see whether the miles go by a little differently.