The fact that the prayer app Hallow is number one in the Apple app charts this week is no surprise to me.  

I was surprised when Mike Schmitz’s podcast Bible in a Year hit number one on the podcast charts. I was downright shocked that his Catholic podcast Catechism in a Year enjoyed the same level of success a year later. After that, it is plain to see that people are as hungry for our Saviour as they have ever been, and still turn to the Catholic Church to find Him. I also know how good Hallow is, as I subscribe to it myself.  

The Hallow App is a very Catholic app, full of love for Mary, the Rosary and old-school Novenas. There is music, a daily quiz, reflections, prayers, and readings designed to send you off to sleep with the Gospel in your ear.  

While it is a little technically glitchy, Hallow is utterly brilliant. The genius is in the lead narrator of the prayers, actor Jonathan Roumie, pictured above.  

Jonathan Roumie is the American actor who plays Jesus in the Angel Studio’s production The Chosen, which is a wonderful rendering of the Gospel narrative. He himself is a devout Catholic and his portrayal of Jesus is full of humour and compassion. Many people I know, myself included, have watched The Chosen more than once. This means that, when you listen to the prayers on the Hallow app, it is easy to forget that you are not actually listening to Jesus.  

Others involved are familiar favourites Fr Mike Schmitz, Bishop Baron, and the Hollywood actor Mark Wahlberg. Even Liam Neeson was narrator for Hallow's Advent celebration, which explored C. S. Lewis’s writing about Christianity.  

The leap to number one in the app charts followed an advert during the NFL Superbowl. There it was in front of millions of people, many of whom were teens tuning in to see Taylor Swift watching her new boyfriend play, or Usher perform the half-time show. Who would have thought that such a secular space would lead to so many new subscriptions of a prayer app? Makes me feel optimistic about the advert I’m currently preparing for The Listener.   

This Lent, Hallow is exploring the work of Fr. Walter Ciszek, and his book He Leadeth Me. Ciszek was a polish-American Jesuit priest who endured a hard and incredible life. I notice that paperback copies of this classic book are currently out-of-stock on Amazon, another indication of the success of Hallow.  Participating in this series is one of my own personal Lenten challenges. As a result, my prayer life is heightened and the ways in which I pray are stretched. This is leading to a deepening of my faith and my relationship with God.  

People need God and people need prayer. Many just don’t realise that this is what is missing from their lives, leaving them so restless and dissatisfied. During Lent, this time of conversion, let us pray that apps like Hallow and productions such as The Chosen reach those people who need Jesus the most.