India's Bishops launch Catholic Connect App for faithful

The Catholic Connect App is a mobile application for Catholics in India to stay better connected with the Church in multiple ways, including finding nearest churches, Mass times, connecting to parishes, as well as to one another for resources and support.

The Catholic Bishops Conference in India (CCBI) has inaugurated a new smartphone app, the Catholic Connect Mobile App, which will help the faithful in the country.

The App was officially launched during the plenary assembly at St. John’s National Academy of Health Sciences in Bangalore on Wednesday.

The President of India's Bishops' Conference, Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão, Archbishop of Bombay; Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Hyderabad; Cardinal Anthony Poola, and several others within the Conference's leadership did the honors.

In a statement, the Bishops' Conference explained that the App serves as a comprehensive platform, offering access to spiritual resources, relevant news and a range of Catholic life services, including health insurance, education, jobs, and emergency assistance.

Locating churches and services

Additionally, users can conveniently locate nearby churches and access various services provided by the Church in India.

The App aims to keep users informed about local developments, a feature intended to enhance a sense of community and connection among users, regardless of their geographical location.

The tool will also help the Catholics to connect with their respective parishes and dioceses, as the App provides a page for “My Parish” and “My Diocese” with sections for information, events, notifications, announcements, and obituaries.

The App's users can select their parish and dioceses during registration.

Comprehensive, interactive platform

In addition, the App provides a dedicated space for CCBI Commissions, showcasing their activities, training sessions, and programmes.

The interactive platform allows commission secretaries to directly feature their initiatives, thereby maximising the reach and impact of CCBI's various programmes.

Deborah Castellano Lubov
Source: vaticannews.va/en