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How Holy is Hallow app?

Box PewBox Pew Shipmate
in Ecclesiantics
This article from Giles Fraser, UK broadcaster, journalist and hard-working parish Vicar has set me thinking.

https://unherd.com/2025/05/you-wont-find-god-on-your-iphone/?=newsroomindexfrmemail

I have downloaded Hallow to see for myself. Are there other sceptics out there?
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Comments

  • Lamb ChoppedLamb Chopped Shipmate
    I'm aware of similar apps, and yeah, I'm concerned. Not if it's merely a library, a box-ful of resources you can sort through and access at will. But if it tries to manage your road-to-discipleship--if it ever gets even slightly more directive than "You looked at this. This is similar"--then, to me, it's usurping the role of the Holy Spirit. Not that that's unusual, plenty of Christian self-help books do that, and tell you authoritatively that what you personally need to do next is x or y (without sending you to ask the Lord that question!). But being a common problem doesn't make it any less a problem.
  • ArethosemyfeetArethosemyfeet Shipmate, Heaven Host
    Hallow's the one giving the oxygen of publicity to Brand, wasn't it?
  • Jengie JonJengie Jon Shipmate
    But it isn't. From using it, is suggestions come in three forms:
    • This is going on, you might want to join in e.g. Advent course, Lent course, prayers for Pope Francis on his death, Prayers for Conclave (it is a ROMAN CATHOLIC App, if you are anywhere else in the Catholic-Sphere at present they are trying to get you to pray for the Conclave, it is how the person in the pew participates, e.g. see the latest two podcasts here )
    • The you did this, how about the next one in the series sort of suggestions even when they are out of date. It is still trying to get me to do stuff from the Lent course for when I was on holiday.
    • ways of exploring what is there. There is too much for for there to really much guidance so it is a featured items, headers with popular items below
  • Alan29Alan29 Shipmate
    @Jengie Jon the link you provided is to Universalis podcasts. Universalis is a UK based liturgical resource containg the texts of the Mass and Office for every day of the year for a one off charge of about £10. Its podcast is based on the texts of the day.
    Its a long, long way from anything advocated by JD Vance and his like (yes, bishop Barron, I'm including you,)
  • Lamb ChoppedLamb Chopped Shipmate
    I don’t think she was trying to give you a link to Hallow but rather an example of the sort of thing it itself may recommend to users.
  • Jengie JonJengie Jon Shipmate
    Just as I might have linked you to Fr Mike Schmitz's Novena in the Ascension App
  • Alan29Alan29 Shipmate
    Gat it!
  • ClimacusClimacus Shipmate
    I haven't looked at it but I know someone who finds it very helpful amid their quite busy life. I can't speak to the concerns raised above, but can only say from my exceptionally small sample size it is helping one person.
  • Gamma GamalielGamma Gamaliel Shipmate
    One could argue that having a lectionary and calendar usurps the role of God the Holy Spirit.

    I'd disagree of course.

    I know people who find 'Pray As You Go' helpful.

    I wouldn't use these Apps myself because I'm not an App-y person and I'm even less 'appy when you can't park at certain venues without downloading an App in order to do so.

    But if other people find them helpful ...
  • chrisstileschrisstiles Hell Host
    Jengie Jon wrote: »
    But it isn't. From using it, is suggestions come in three forms:
    • This is going on, you might want to join in e.g. Advent course, Lent course, prayers for Pope Francis on his death, Prayers for Conclave (it is a ROMAN CATHOLIC App

    Presumably you are just raising the fact that it's aimed at a particular part of the Christian world? (Just wondering if I'd missed some context).

  • Jengie JonJengie Jon Shipmate
    I am pointing out that it is Roman Catholic and Roman Catholic's are being encouraged en mass to pray for Conclave by all and sundry from their local Parish priest to the hierarchy in Rome. Why does he feel that the app is being directive?
  • Nick TamenNick Tamen Shipmate
    The sentiment expressed in this quote seems to be at the heart of his objection:
    But what I can’t get my head round is why someone might spend $69.99 a year to have their relationship with God mediated by an app.
    Frankly, I found this a slightly bizarre comment. Ditto his suggestion that the app is “selling people prayer time.”

    Aside from assuming facts not in evidence—he hasn’t really demonstrated in any meaningful way that Hallow is “mediating,” or even attempting to mediate, anyone’s relationship with God—how is subscribing to an app any different from subscribing to a magazine? Some people spend $71.40 a year to subscribe to the Magnificat Monthly Missal; is that publication attempting to mediate anyone’s relationship with God, or is it just trying to facilitate and provide resources for that relationship? What about people who spend money on prayer and devotional books?

    Of course, some publications and books are better than others, and all require discernment on the part of the user. An app is no different in that regard. How an app may be different is the ability to send notifications (which can usually be turned off or managed) and algorithms that decide what you see. (I have no idea if Hallow uses algorithms in that way.)

    What’s really going on is, I think, exposed in this comment:
    At base, the values of modern technology and the values of ancient prayer seem deeply antithetical.

    In other words, his critique seems to be little more than the complaint of a Luddite and technophobe.


  • Box PewBox Pew Shipmate
    I was tempted by Halo, having discovered during the Covid pandemic how well online worship could fill a gap. But then I recalled how joyous the return to real world worship was when it finally happened - and how vital to me parish life is, warts and all.

    The look and feel of the Halo is decidedly cute and the visual design adopts the non-place online realm. Its presenter voices are spoken close-mic, like late night radio. The extensive music choices of worship music, in particular, are anodyne easy listening. This and emphasis on guided prayer give it a very well-being feel. There's no urgency, little challenge, and an emphasis on religious practice as something private.

    The thing that finally made up my mind that Halo was not for me was the invitation to 'Join Your Parish'. You can 'enhance you faith journey' by connecting with fellow parishioners. Here at last is a connection to living as a Christain in the real world-they would recommend local real-world churches! Or so I thought. But no, its a facility in the app to connect with other Halo users and imagine yourselves a parish. Just like a dating app. Halo seems aimed at doing away with physical churches in constituted parishes and religious life outside it, not to support them.

    Halo has the commercial imperatives of most social media networks: tempt them in, nudge them to subscribe, get them well hooked, then run default renewals at $70 a year.

    I cancelled my free 7 day trial and paid nothing.
  • Gamma GamalielGamma Gamaliel Shipmate
    Thing is, if we really wanted to be purists we wouldn't be on this site and only connect with people who are within walking, cycling, driving, bus or train journey distance ...

    Is this site mediating how we connect with God?

    Most church-goers give more than the annual rate for this app to their local church, I'd imagine. Some tithe.

    Are we going to complain that their local church, of whatever stripe, is mediating and determining how they interact with God?

    It will do, of course, but why is that any better or worse than using this app?
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