Franciscan Spirituality in App
In my never ending search for everything Franciscan I came across an article about a Franciscan app. A longtime member of the Hallow app the prospect of a Franciscan app excited me, I read on.
In this article written in the Detroit Catholic by Gabriella Patti on June 1, 2022 She writes about Bro. Igor de Bliquey, OFM Cap.
As his post-novitiate project, Bro. Igor, a Belgian friar in residence at St. Bonaventure Monastery in Detroit, developed the free app "Fr@elli" meant to help users grow in faith and turn spirituality into a lived experience. He stated "It first started as a Dutch app, but we recognized that we needed to branch out, so it became a bilingual app, now in English and Dutch," Bro. Igor explained, adding the app has received interest from the United States, India and Australia. "It has been fun to recognize that people need spirituality, and they are grabbing onto this as a tool to learn more about Franciscan spirituality." "The time of St Francis and the time now, I would say, are very similar" Bro. Igor said. "He tried to experience and find spirituality in the plain things of everyday (life) and open our eyes to what is happening here and now and go to the Gospel as a core of our spirituality." While Bro. Igor hopes Fr@elli reaches more people with the truths of the faith, there are many great Catholic apps out there, he said."There are so many good apps out there that are trying to inspire people to dig deeper in faith, and this is one of them," he said. "If this isn't for you, try another one. Find ways to work on your own spirituality and deepen your relationship with Christ. That's what we are all supposed to be doing, so let's go for it."
It is not as big as Hallow in terms of content but that is how Hallow started! I remember Hallow when it started I was one of their test users and look at it now. Maybe we can do the same for our fellow Franciscan and support this venture and set the world ablaze in Franciscan Charism!
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