The Hallow Blog – A Catholic Blog with Prayer Tips & More

Hallow App Partners with the Jubilee

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Election Prayers: Praying for America and Finding Peace During Elections with Prayer, Bible Verses

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<p class="">That past 12 months have been full of ups and downs with many of us facing serious and unexpected challenges. This Lent, we invite you to find peace in your relationship with God by joining the #Pray40 challenge and committing to daily prayer.</p>
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<p class="">To help support you, we at Hallow have put together 40 days of Lenten meditations with length options that work for every schedule and experience level.</p>
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<p class="">In honor of Pope Francis <a href="https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2020-12/pope-francis-proclaims-year-of-st-joseph.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">proclaiming</a> 2021 as the "Year of St. Joseph," we have built the Hallow #Pray40 community challenge around growing in the virtues of the patron of the Universal Church, including humility, hiddenness, obedience, chastity, justice, and love of the poor.</p>
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<p class="">There will be a new type of prayer each day to build on the theme for the week. A few highlights:</p>
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<ul class=""><li>Prayers to grow in humility and obedience</li><li>The Seven Sorrows Rosary</li><li>Examinations of Conscience</li><li>The Litany of St. Joseph</li><li>New Hallow Music</li><li>The Stations of the Cross</li></ul>
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<div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-hallow-purple-background-color has-background" href="https://hallow.onelink.me/Q25Y/cc22c7e9" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Join the #Pray40 Challenge</a></div>
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<h3 class="">Hallow Overview</h3>
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<p class="">Hallow is a Catholic prayer and meditation app that helps users deepen their relationship with God through audio-guided contemplative prayer. </p>
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<p class="">The app has over 1,000 individual prayer sessions and with 1, 5, 10, 15, 30, and 60 minute options, Hallow truly has something for everyone.</p>
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<p class="">Hallow is free to download and has permanently free content, as well as a premium subscription called "Hallow Plus" that includes the rest of the content library. Hallow Plus is usually $60/year. </p>
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<p class="">The #Pray40 Challenge daily meditations are part of Hallow Plus, but you can try out ALL of the Hallow content risk-free during a limited-time free trial.</p>
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<h3 class="">Real Impact for Real People</h3>
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<p class="">Hallow is built to be a useful daily prayer resource no matter your age or experience level. </p>
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<p class="">If any of the following resonte, then Hallow is right for you:</p>
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<ul class=""><li>Lifelong Catholic looking for ways to <strong>add variety to your existing prayer life</strong></li><li><strong>Busy parent</strong> struggling to maintain a prayer life amidst a hectic schedule</li><li><strong>Stressed and anxious</strong>, looking to find peace in God's loving embrace</li><li>Parent and/or grandparent looking for ways to <strong>pass on your faith</strong> in a way that younger generations will find easy to connect with</li><li>Interested in learning more about <strong>the Bible</strong></li><li><strong>Trouble falling asleep</strong> at night</li><li>Always wanted to <strong>pray more</strong>, but haven't ever found a routine that stuck</li><li>Love praying with <strong>music</strong></li><li>Searching for the answer to the big questions of "<strong>does God exist?</strong>" and/or "<strong>how do I get to know God</strong>"</li><li>Strong intellectual faith life, but are looking to grow deeper in your <strong>pesronal, spiritual relationship with God</strong></li><li><strong>Meditator</strong> who is looking to center your spirituality on your faith</li><li>Open to having your <strong>life transformed by God's grace</strong></li></ul>
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<p class="has-small-font-size">"This app has been an answer for my weary soul. Tears pour as I try to impress on you how deeply I am impacted by the guidance of simply being with God. This is where my soul is finding peace for the very first time."</p>
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<p class="has-small-font-size">“Hallow right now is bringing me back to my faith and I will see where it goes. I abandoned my Catholic upbringing because I struggle with religion being the root of so much division and war in our world. I’ve just recently introduced Hallow and am taking great comfort in welcoming God back into my life. ”</p>
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<p class="has-small-font-size">"As a working mom of 2 under two, sometimes it has seemed impossible to prioritize a prayer life. Hallow has given me a simple way to take time out of my day to be with God. I love that the sessions can be different lengths depending on how much time I have! It's been life changing."</p>
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<p class="has-small-font-size">“Thank you so much for this app. I’m only 14, but I learned that the more I pray the closer I feel to God, which leads me to complete Joy. I’ve used this app for a couple of days now and I’m in love. You’ve encouraged me to become closer to the Bible and the word of God. Thank you so much, you changed my life.”</p>
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<h3 class="">Want to be the #Pray40 Challenge to your parish?</h3>
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<p class="">Over the past year, we have been working hard to help support our local Catholic communities. We've worked especially hard to support our <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/healthcare-press-release/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">healthcare workers</a>, <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/hallow-press-release-for-active-duty-military-and-veterans/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">active duty military &amp; veterans</a>, and the <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/hallow-press-release-for-the-recently-unemployed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">recently unemployed</a>. </p>
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<p class="">For Lent, we want to take one step further and provide a way for parishes to support the mental and spiritual health of ALL of their parishioners.</p>
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<p class="">If you would like promote the #Pray40 challenge, we are sending out totally FREE physical parish kits to parishes in the US.</p>
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<p class="">In addition to a pop-up banner for the entrance to your church and physical handouts, the kit also includes digital communication resources and evangelization tools to help strengthen your parishioners' prayer lives.</p>
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<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://hallowapp.store/"><img src="https://hallow.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Parish-Kit-Blog-Module.png" alt="Bring #Pray40 to your parish with a FREE parish kit" class="wp-image-5566"/></a></figure>
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<div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-hallow-purple-background-color has-background" href="https://hallowapp.store/">Order a FREE parish kit</a></div>
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<p class="">For a limited time, parishes can purchase Hallow Plus for ALL of their parishioners through Easter Sunday.</p>
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<p class="">Parishioners will be able to sign up for Hallow Plus, no credit card required, and get full access to the #Pray40 challenge, plus our 700+ inidividual prayers, including our daily Lenten meditations (see below for further details).</p>
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<p class="">We will help you set up in-app prayer groups where parishioners and ministry leaders can share intentions, prayers, and reflections.</p>
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<div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-hallow-purple-background-color has-background" href="https://hallow.com/2021/01/15/holydaypackage-lent/">Learn more about our Parish Holy Day Package</a></div>
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<h3 class="">Questions for us?</h3>
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<p class="">For questions relating to #Pray40 or Hallow in general, email us at <a href="mailto:info@hallow.app">info@hallow.app</a>. </p>
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<h3 class="">Authentic and Accessible</h3>
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<div class="wp-block-media-text alignwide is-stacked-on-mobile is-image-fill" style="grid-template-columns:34% auto"><figure class="wp-block-media-text__media" style="background-image:url(https://hallow.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Bishop-Rhoades-Web-Headshot-1.png);background-position:50% 41%"><img src="https://hallow.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Bishop-Rhoades-Web-Headshot-1.png" alt="" class="wp-image-5454 size-full"/></figure><div class="wp-block-media-text__content"><!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Content…","className":""} -->
<p class="">"Hallow is an excellent resource for people searching for deeper spiritual lives, especially the younger generation of Catholics today. It helps make clear that a relationship with God is and can be extremely personal and can be a great source of peace, joy, and strength."</p>
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<p class=""><strong>Bishop Kevin Rhoades (Fort Wayne / South Bend)</strong></p>
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<p class="">"Prayer is the best way to prepare to meet the Lord when He comes. Try the Hallow App"</p>
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<p class=""><strong>Fr. Mike Schmitz (Diocese of Duluth)</strong></p>
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<p class="">“Hallow really brings to light many different ways to pray. For anyone who feels they’ve been praying the same way for years, Hallow can completely renew the way that you interact with God on a daily basis.”</p>
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<p class=""><strong>Mike St. Pierre (Executive Director of Catholic Campus Ministry Association)</strong></p>
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<p class="">“Without prayer, we will never recognize the presence of God that nourishes the core of our being. Hallow is a vibrant new tool for helping our generation reclaim such prayer in our lives!”</p>
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<p class=""><strong>Jackie &amp; Bobby Angel (Speakers and Authors)</strong></p>
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<h3 class="">Not Just #Pray40 - Other Exciting Content on Hallow</h3>
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<p class="">We are incredibly excited to be able to provide access to Ascension Press's <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/bible-in-a-year-with-father-mike-schmitz/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Bible in a Year</em> podcast</a> with Fr. Mike Schmitz. It launched as the #1 podcast in the WORLD and is pretty awesome. You should really check it out.</p>
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<p class="">Listen to 14 albums with over 100 songs, including 3 brand-new hallow original and exclusive albums. Genres range from traditional chant to contemporary worship, all curated to help you <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/how-to-pray/-with-music/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">grow deeper in your relationship with God</a>.</p>
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<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://hallow.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Hallow-Music-Web-Blog-Module-vHor.png" alt="Hallow Music" class="wp-image-5543"/></figure>
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<p class="">Unwind at the end of the day with God in prayer. Our <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/fall-asleep-with-7-new-bible-stories/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bible Stories</a> and <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/is-it-okay-to-fall-asleep-while-praying/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sleep Meditations</a> will help you <a href="https://grottonetwork.com/keep-the-faith/prayer/pray-before-you-go-to-bed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">find peace</a> by resting in God's Word. </p>
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<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://hallow.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Bible-Stories-Web-Blog-Module-vHor.png" alt="Bible Stories and Sleep Meditations" class="wp-image-5546"/></figure>
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https://hallow.com/2021/01/15/holydaypackage-lent/
https://hallow.com/2021/01/12/bible-in-a-year-with-father-mike-schmitz/
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Lent #Pray40 Challenge

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    [post_date] => 2021-01-15 16:47:29
    [post_date_gmt] => 2021-01-15 16:47:29
    [post_content] => <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} -->
<p class="">As we approach <a href="https://hallow.com/lent/">Lent</a> this year, we realize how challenging the past 12 months have been. Many of us faced physical, economic, and spiritual hardships that we had never faced before. </p>
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<p class="">Along the way, we at Hallow have been working hard to help support our local Catholic communities. We've worked especially hard to support our <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/healthcare-press-release/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">healthcare workers</a>, <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/hallow-press-release-for-active-duty-military-and-veterans/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">active duty military &amp; veterans</a>, and the <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/hallow-press-release-for-the-recently-unemployed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">recently unemployed</a>. </p>
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<p class="">For Lent, we want to take one step further and provide a way for parishes to support the mental and spiritual health of ALL of their parishioners.</p>
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<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Hallow Overview</h3>
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<p class="">Hallow is a Catholic prayer and meditation app that helps users deepen their relationship with God through audio-guided contemplative prayer. </p>
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<p class="">The app has over 1,000 individual prayer sessions and with 1, 5, 10, 15, 30, and 60 minute options, Hallow truly has something for everyone.</p>
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<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://hallow.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Hallow-Stats-Blog-Header-1024x234.png" alt="Hallow, the #1 Catholic app for Lent" class="wp-image-5420"/></figure>
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<p class="">Hallow is free to download and has permanently free content, as well as a premium subscription called "Hallow Plus" that includes the rest of the content library. Hallow Plus is usually $60/year. </p>
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<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Hallow Lent Holy Day Package</h3>
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<p class="">For a limited time, parishes can purchase Hallow Plus for ALL of their parishioners through Easter Sunday for $500 flat.</p>
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<li>Parishioners will be able to sign up for Hallow, no credit card required, and get full access to all our 1,000+ individual prayers, including our daily Lenten meditations (see below for further details).</li>
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<li>We will provide launch materials including email templates, social media posts, and (where applicable) <a href="https://hallowapp.store/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">physical parish kits</a>. </li>
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<li>We will provide a live online training for parish staff and volunteers on how best to use Hallow in a parish setting</li>
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<li>We will help you set up in-app prayer groups where parishioners and ministry leaders can share intentions, prayers, and reflections</li>
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<li>During Lent we will host virtual community prayer nights that your families can join to pray together while socially distanced.</li>
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<p class="">After Easter, each parishioner can decide whether they would like to stick to Hallow's permanently free content or continue with Hallow Plus. If they continue with Hallow Plus, they will receive a 20% discount through your parish code.</p>
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<div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-hallow-purple-background-color has-background wp-element-button" href="https://hallowapp.store/products/holy-day-package">Order Holy Day Package Now!</a></div>
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<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Want to Learn More?</h3>
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<p class="">Schedule a time to chat with a Hallow team member using the scheduler below or send us an email at <a href="mailto:community@hallow.app">community@hallow.app</a>. </p>
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<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Real Impact for Real People</h3>
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<p class="has-small-font-size">"This app has been an answer for my weary soul. Tears pour as I try to impress on you how deeply I am impacted by the guidance of simply being with God. This is where my soul is finding peace for the very first time."</p>
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<p class="has-small-font-size">“Hallow right now is bringing me back to my faith and I will see where it goes. I abandoned my Catholic upbringing because I struggle with religion being the root of so much division and war in our world. I’ve just recently introduced Hallow and am taking great comfort in welcoming God back into my life. ”</p>
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<p class="has-small-font-size">"As a working mom of 2 under two, sometimes it has seemed impossible to prioritize a prayer life. Hallow has given me a simple way to take time out of my day to be with God. I love that the sessions can be different lengths depending on how much time I have! It's been life changing."</p>
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<p class="has-small-font-size">“Thank you so much for this app. I’m only 14, but I learned that the more I pray the closer I feel to God, which leads me to complete Joy. I’ve used this app for a couple of days now and I’m in love. You’ve encouraged me to become closer to the Bible and the word of God. Thank you so much, you changed my life.”</p>
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<div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-hallow-purple-background-color has-background wp-element-button" href="https://hallowapp.store/products/holy-day-package">Order Holy Day Package Now!</a></div>
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<h3 class="wp-block-heading">The Hallow #Pray40 Lent Challenge</h3>
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<p class="">We are excited to offer special daily meditations from Ash Wednesday through Easter Sunday.</p>
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<p class="">In honor of the year of St. Joseph, the <a href="https://hallow.com/2021/01/20/pray40-2021/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">#Pray40 challenge</a> will be focused on growing in the virtues of the patron saint of the Universal Church, including humility, hiddenness, obedience, chastity, justice, and love of the poor.</p>
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<p class="">There will be a new type of prayer each day to build on the theme for the week. A few highlights:</p>
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<li>Prayers to grow in humility and obedience</li>
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<li>The Seven Sorrows Rosary</li>
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<li>Examinations of Conscience</li>
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<li>The Litany of St. Joseph</li>
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<li>New Hallow Music</li>
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<li>The Stations of the Cross</li>
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<h3 class="wp-block-heading">The Pastor Perspective</h3>
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<p class=""><em>"I love ya’ll so much. I’m a Priest and I love love love this app. I get so much out of it. God guided me to this app ... but I wanted ya’ll to know that I am so grateful for what you are doing. You have no idea how deeply I’ve been touched by this app and I’ve only used it like half a dozen times. I can tell that this is going to deepen my relationship with Christ and His Holy Mother such as I’ve never experienced before. </em></p>
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<p class=""><em>So much of modernity is a constant frenetic juggle of tasks, and just having something to cause you to sit down and meditate on God is so invaluable to this world. It always has been and this need will only continue to grow. I literally have no criticism to give, everything is so well done and Providential, I’m amazed. </em></p>
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<p class=""><em>May God continue to guide you all so intimately, and may we abandon ourselves to His Divine Providence, the ultimate of all spiritual exercises. Amen.”</em></p>
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<div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-hallow-purple-background-color has-background wp-element-button" href="https://hallowapp.store/products/holy-day-package">Order Holy Day Package Now!</a></div>
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<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Seriously, we would love to serve your community</h3>
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<p class="">Schedule a time to chat with a Hallow team member using the scheduler below or send us an email at <a href="mailto:community@hallow.app">community@hallow.app</a>. </p>
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<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Authentic and Accessible</h3>
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<div class="wp-block-media-text alignwide is-stacked-on-mobile is-image-fill" style="grid-template-columns:34% auto"><figure class="wp-block-media-text__media" style="background-image:url(https://hallow.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Bishop-Rhoades-Web-Headshot-1.png);background-position:50% 41%"><img src="https://hallow.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Bishop-Rhoades-Web-Headshot-1.png" alt="" class="wp-image-5454 size-full"/></figure><div class="wp-block-media-text__content"><!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Content…","className":""} -->
<p class="">"Hallow is an excellent resource for people searching for deeper spiritual lives, especially the younger generation of Catholics today. It helps make clear that a relationship with God is and can be extremely personal and can be a great source of peace, joy, and strength."</p>
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<p class=""><strong>Bishop Kevin Rhoades (Fort Wayne / South Bend)</strong></p>
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<p class="">"Prayer is the best way to prepare to meet the Lord when He comes. Try the Hallow App"</p>
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<p class=""><strong>Fr. Mike Schmitz (Diocese of Duluth)</strong></p>
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<div class="wp-block-media-text alignwide is-stacked-on-mobile is-image-fill" style="grid-template-columns:33% auto"><figure class="wp-block-media-text__media" style="background-image:url(https://hallow.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Mike-St.-Pierre-Web-Headshot-1.png);background-position:50% 50%"><img src="https://hallow.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Mike-St.-Pierre-Web-Headshot-1.png" alt="" class="wp-image-5456 size-full"/></figure><div class="wp-block-media-text__content"><!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Content…","className":""} -->
<p class="">“Hallow really brings to light many different ways to pray. For anyone who feels they’ve been praying the same way for years, Hallow can completely renew the way that you interact with God on a daily basis.”</p>
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<p class=""><strong>Mike St. Pierre (Executive Director of Catholic Campus Ministry Association)</strong></p>
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<p class="">“Without prayer, we will never recognize the presence of God that nourishes the core of our being. Hallow is a vibrant new tool for helping our generation reclaim such prayer in our lives!”</p>
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<p class=""><strong>Jackie &amp; Bobby Angel (Speakers and Authors)</strong></p>
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<div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-hallow-purple-background-color has-background wp-element-button" href="https://hallowapp.store/products/holy-day-package">Order Holy Day Package Now!</a></div>
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<h3 class="wp-block-heading">We can't wait to connect</h3>
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<p class="">Schedule a time to chat with a Hallow team member using the scheduler below or send us an email at <a href="mailto:community@hallow.app">community@hallow.app</a>.</p>
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<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Not Just For Lent - Other Exciting Content on Hallow</h3>
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<p class="">We are incredibly excited to be able to provide access to Ascension Press's <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/bible-in-a-year-with-father-mike-schmitz/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Bible in a Year</em> podcast</a> with Fr. Mike Schmitz. It launched as the #1 podcast in the WORLD and is pretty awesome. You should really check it out.</p>
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<p class="">Listen to 14 albums with over 100 songs, including 3 brand-new hallow original and exclusive albums. Genres range from traditional chant to contemporary worship, all curated to help you <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/how-to-pray/-with-music/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">grow deeper in your relationship with God</a>.</p>
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<p class="">Unwind at the end of the day with God in prayer. Our <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/fall-asleep-with-7-new-bible-stories/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bible Stories</a> and <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/is-it-okay-to-fall-asleep-while-praying/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sleep Meditations</a> will help you <a href="https://grottonetwork.com/keep-the-faith/prayer/pray-before-you-go-to-bed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">find peace</a> by resting in God's Word. </p>
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<!-- wp:image {"id":5546,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","className":""} -->
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://hallow.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Bible-Stories-Web-Blog-Module-vHor.png" alt="Bible Stories and Sleep Meditations" class="wp-image-5546"/></figure>
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<!-- wp:buttons {"layout":{"type":"flex","justifyContent":"center","orientation":"horizontal"}} -->
<div class="wp-block-buttons"><!-- wp:button {"backgroundColor":"hallow-purple","textColor":"white"} -->
<div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-hallow-purple-background-color has-text-color has-background wp-element-button" target="_blank" rel="https://hallow.onelink.me/Q25Y/d0e45d75 noopener">Download Hallow</a></div>
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<p class=""></p>
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    [post_title] => New Lent Holy Day Package For Parishes
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    [pinged] => https://hallow.com/2020/03/26/healthcare-press-release/
https://hallow.com/2020/05/25/hallow-press-release-for-active-duty-military-and-veterans/
https://hallow.com/2021/01/12/bible-in-a-year-with-father-mike-schmitz/
https://hallow.com/2020/06/05/hallow-press-release-for-the-recently-unemployed/
https://hallow.com/2021/01/20/pray40-2021/
https://hallow.com/2020/09/30/is-it-okay-to-fall-asleep-while-praying/
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Hallow App Lent 2021 Holy Day Parish Package

New Lent Holy Day Package For Parishes

WP_Post Object
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    [ID] => 5373
    [post_author] => 7
    [post_date] => 2021-01-12 13:57:01
    [post_date_gmt] => 2021-01-12 13:57:01
    [post_content] => <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} -->
<p class="">We are incredibly excited to announce that you can now listen to the <em>Bible in a Year</em> podcast with Fr. Mike Schmitz <a href="http://hallow.com/ascension">on Hallow</a>.&nbsp;</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

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<p class="">In this first-of-its-kind partnership, Hallow has teamed up with <a href="https://ascensionpress.com/">Ascension Press</a>, the creators and producers of <em>Bible in a Year</em>, to make the podcast available on Hallow.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} -->
<p class="">Launched on January 1, 2021, it has quickly reached #1 on the Apple Podcast charts GLOBALLY.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

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<div class="wp-block-buttons"><!-- wp:button {"backgroundColor":"turquoise","textColor":"white"} -->
<div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-turquoise-background-color has-text-color has-background wp-element-button" href="https://hallow.app.link/BIY">Start the <em>Bible in a Year</em> Podcast</a></div>
<!-- /wp:button --></div>
<!-- /wp:buttons -->

<!-- wp:heading {"level":3,"className":""} -->
<h3 class=""><strong>About the Podcast</strong></h3>
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<!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} -->
<p class=""><em>Bible in a Year</em> takes you on a 365 day journey through the entire Bible. </p>
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<!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} -->
<p class="">Each day features a 20-25 minute episode where Fr. Mike reads a passage from the Bible, shares a brief reflection, and guides you into a Lectio Divina meditation on the passage.</p>
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<!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} -->
<p class="">In 365 days, you will not only get to read the entire Catholic Bible, cover to cover, but actually understand how it all fits together. PLUS you will be able to pray through the whole thing.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} -->
<p class="">One of the unique and beautiful parts of this study is that Fr. Mike uses the timeline from <a href="https://ascensionpress.com/products/the-great-adventure-catholic-bible">The Great Adventure Bible</a>. This timeline was developed by Jeff Cavins and is designed to help you better understand salvation history in an easily digestible format. Be on the lookout for Jeff in a number of bonus episodes throughout the podcast.</p>
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<p class="">While listening along on Hallow, you can <a href="https://ascensionpress.com/pages/biy-registration">opt-in</a> to receive the Bible reading plan and follow along in <a href="https://ascensionpress.com/products/the-great-adventure-catholic-bible">The Great Adventure Bible</a> from Ascension.&nbsp;</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} -->
<p class="">Oh - and it’s totally free.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} -->
<p class="">Commit to growing deeper in your relationship with God through daily reading and reflections on His Word. Join us in listening to the<em> Bible in a Year</em> on Hallow!</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:buttons {"layout":{"type":"flex","justifyContent":"center","orientation":"horizontal"}} -->
<div class="wp-block-buttons"><!-- wp:button {"backgroundColor":"turquoise","textColor":"white","className":"is-style-fill"} -->
<div class="wp-block-button is-style-fill"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-turquoise-background-color has-text-color has-background wp-element-button" href="https://hallow.app.link/BIY">Start listening now</a></div>
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<h3 class=""><strong>Benefits of listening on Hallow</strong></h3>
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<!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} -->
<p class="">One of the benefits of listening to the <em>Bible in a Year</em> podcast on Hallow is that you can integrate your Bible study into your overall prayer routine. With Hallow, you can set weekly prayer goals and receive custom prayer reminders throughout the day.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} -->
<p class="">After listening to each session, you have the ability to take notes in your Hallow prayer journal, which you can refer back to later. You can also post these reflections to your <a href="https://intercom.help/hallow-inc/en/articles/3949390-overview-of-hallow-family-groups" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hallow family groups</a>, sharing your faith journey with your friends, family, and/or Bible study group.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:image {"id":5375,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","className":""} -->
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://hallow.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Fr.-Mike-BIY-Blog-Screenshot-Collage-1024x611.png" alt="" class="wp-image-5375"/></figure>
<!-- /wp:image -->

<!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} -->
<p class="">You can also customize your experience with all of your favorite Hallow background music options including light piano, nature sounds, ocean waves, various chants, and more.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} -->
<p class="">Lastly, praying on Hallow can count toward your Mindful Minutes within your Apple Health profile on iPhone. For help syncing Hallow with your Apple Health profile, you can reach out to support@hallow.app.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} -->
<p class="">All of this customization and more is part of Hallow’s permanently free content and functionality.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:heading {"level":3,"className":""} -->
<h3 class="">About our host, Fr. Mike Schmitz</h3>
<!-- /wp:heading -->

<!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} -->
<p class="">Fr. Mike Schmitz serves as Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry for the Diocese of Duluth and as chaplain for the Newman Catholic Campus Ministry at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. He is a presenter in Ascension’s <a href="https://ascensionpress.com/collections/chosen-your-journey-toward-confirmation">Chosen</a>, <a href="https://ascensionpress.com/collections/altaration-the-mystery-of-the-mass-revealed">Altaration</a>, and <a href="https://ascensionpress.com/collections/the-99">The 99 programs</a>, and has a channel on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/AscensionPresents">Ascension Presents</a>.</p>
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<!-- wp:heading {"level":3,"className":""} -->
<h3 class=""><strong>More From Fr. Mike on Hallow</strong></h3>
<!-- /wp:heading -->

<!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} -->
<p class="">In 2023, Hallow welcomed Fr. Mike's <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/catechism-in-a-year-fr-mike-schmitz/">Catechism in a Year</a> to the app. </p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} -->
<p class="">Hallow also is proud to have partnered directly with Fr. Mike Schmitz to read Bible Stories focused on helping you prepare for bed by unwinding at the end of the day with Scripture.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} -->
<p class="">Separate from the <em>Bible in a Year</em> podcast episodes, these sessions are pure prayer and are focused on&nbsp;helping you find peace in God.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} -->
<p class="">You can also listen to Fr. Mike’s Sunday homilies within Hallow’s Guest section.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:buttons {"layout":{"type":"flex","justifyContent":"center","orientation":"horizontal"}} -->
<div class="wp-block-buttons"><!-- wp:button {"backgroundColor":"turquoise","textColor":"white"} -->
<div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-turquoise-background-color has-text-color has-background wp-element-button" href="https://hallow.app.link/BIY">Listen to Fr. Mike's Other Content</a></div>
<!-- /wp:button --></div>
<!-- /wp:buttons -->

<!-- wp:image {"id":5374,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","className":""} -->
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://hallow.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Fr.-Mike-Other-Content-Screenshot-Collage-1024x611.png" alt="" class="wp-image-5374"/></figure>
<!-- /wp:image -->

<!-- wp:heading {"level":3,"className":""} -->
<h3 class=""><strong>More From Hallow</strong></h3>
<!-- /wp:heading -->

<!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} -->
<p class="">Hallow is the #1 Catholic app in the US &amp; Canada and is focused on helping users deepen their relationship with God through audio-guided contemplative prayer and meditation. With 1, 5, 10, 15, 30, and 60 minute options, Hallow has a prayer routine that works for every schedule.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} -->
<p class="">The app has 700+ sessions including daily favorites like meditations on the daily Gospel, the Rosary, and the Divine Mercy Chaplet; “Praylists” focused on themes like love, joy, hope, humility, gratitude, and forgiveness; Minute Meditations for quick breaks throughout the day; curated and original music ranging from traditional chant to contemporary worship; and much more.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} -->
<p class="">For more on Hallow’s content and features, you can visit our <a href="https://hallow.com/">homepage</a>.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:buttons {"layout":{"type":"flex","justifyContent":"center","orientation":"horizontal"}} -->
<div class="wp-block-buttons"><!-- wp:button {"backgroundColor":"turquoise"} -->
<div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-turquoise-background-color has-background wp-element-button" href="https://hallow.app.link/BIY">Download Hallow</a></div>
<!-- /wp:button --></div>
<!-- /wp:buttons -->

<!-- wp:heading {"className":""} -->
<h2 class="">More Prayer Resources</h2>
<!-- /wp:heading -->

<!-- wp:list {"className":""} -->
<ul class=""><!-- wp:list-item -->
<li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/how-to-pray-the-rosary/">How to Pray the Rosary</a></li>
<!-- /wp:list-item -->

<!-- wp:list-item -->
<li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/how-to-pray-the-hail-mary/">Hail Mary Prayer</a></li>
<!-- /wp:list-item -->

<!-- wp:list-item -->
<li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/how-to-pray-the-rosary/">Liturgy of the Hours</a></li>
<!-- /wp:list-item -->

<!-- wp:list-item -->
<li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/lent-prayers/">Lent Prayers</a></li>
<!-- /wp:list-item -->

<!-- wp:list-item -->
<li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/how-to-pray-54-day-novena/">54 Day Novena</a></li>
<!-- /wp:list-item -->

<!-- wp:list-item -->
<li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/how-to-go-to-confession-the-sacrament-of-penance-reconciliation/">Confession Prayers</a></li>
<!-- /wp:list-item --></ul>
<!-- /wp:list -->
    [post_title] => “Bible In a Year” Podcast with Fr. Mike Schmitz now on Hallow
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https://hallow.com/2020/01/09/how-to-pray-lectio-divina/
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“Bible In a Year” Podcast with Fr. Mike Schmitz now on Hallow

WP_Post Object
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    [ID] => 5343
    [post_author] => 17
    [post_date] => 2021-01-11 23:32:43
    [post_date_gmt] => 2021-01-11 23:32:43
    [post_content] => <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} -->
<p class="">We at Hallow know that sometimes getting a good night’s sleep can be anything but a <a href="https://grottonetwork.com/keep-the-faith/prayer/pray-before-you-go-to-bed/">prayerful experience</a>. That’s why we created Bible Stories to help you prepare for rest at night while listening to God’s Word.&nbsp;</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} -->
<p class="">In each story, you’ll hear a familiar voice read a few chapters of the Bible for you at a prayerful, steady pace. No embellishments or distractions, just Bible. Our stories range from 4 minutes to 40 minutes in length and span the Old and New Testament, so there is something for everyone.&nbsp;</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} -->
<p class="">We’re constantly adding onto our library of Bible Stories, and we’d love to pray with you tonight. In 2021, we released 7 new Bible Stories<strong> </strong>from readers such as Fr. Josh Johnson, Matt Fradd, Paul J. Kim, and Jackie and Bobby Angel. In 2022, our Bible sleep stories include passages from readers like Jim Caviezel, Lila Rose, Chenele Shaw, Mark Hart and Dr. Alex Gotay. You can find all of the stories in the Hallow app under the Sleep tab.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} -->
<p class="">Read on for a short description of some of these bedtime Bible Stories (in order of their appearance in the Bible), as well as a bit of background on some of our amazing readers.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:image {"id":5360,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","className":""} -->
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://hallow.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/79_l-1024x611.png" alt="" class="wp-image-5360"/></figure>
<!-- /wp:image -->

<!-- wp:heading {"level":4,"className":""} -->
<h4 class="">Jackie Angel - “Ruth”</h4>
<!-- /wp:heading -->

<!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} -->
<p class=""><em>“Wherever you go I will go, wherever you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people and your God, my God.”</em> (Ruth 1:15)</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} -->
<p class="">The Book of Ruth tells the story of a young woman and her commitment to honoring her family. After the death of her husband, Ruth seeks to provide for her mother-in-law Naomi and eventually becomes the mother of David, the great Israelite leader.<br><br>Jackie Angel is a Catholic writer and singer, and has served as a presenter for popular programs such as “Ascension Presents.” Her and her husband Bobby Angel work as Fellowes of the Word on Fire Institute. You can learn more about Jackie’s ministry <a href="https://jackieandbobby.com">here</a>.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:buttons {"layout":{"type":"flex","justifyContent":"center","orientation":"horizontal"}} -->
<div class="wp-block-buttons"><!-- wp:button {"backgroundColor":"black","textColor":"white"} -->
<div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-black-background-color has-text-color has-background" href="https://hallow.onelink.me/Q25Y/861d7810">Listen to Jackie's Bible Story</a></div>
<!-- /wp:button --></div>
<!-- /wp:buttons -->

<!-- wp:image {"id":5364,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","className":""} -->
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://hallow.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/79_l-3-1024x611.png" alt="Jason Evert" class="wp-image-5364"/></figure>
<!-- /wp:image -->

<!-- wp:heading {"level":4,"className":""} -->
<h4 class="">Jason Evert - “Psalms of Hope” (Psalms 40-46)</h4>
<!-- /wp:heading -->

<!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} -->
<p class=""><em>“Surely, I wait for the Lord; </em><em>&nbsp;</em><em>who bends down to me and hears my cry.”</em> (Psalm 40:1)</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} -->
<p class="">The Psalms teach us how to pray to God in all moments of life, including praise, lament, thanksgiving, and petition. This Bible Story features a collection of Psalms that centers around the theme of placing hope in God. In the middle of the reading is Psalm 42, which is commonly prayed at funerals and during the season of Lent. It begins with the powerful image: “As the deer longs for streams of water, so my soul longs for you, O God.”</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} -->
<p class="">Jason Evert is a Catholic author, speaker, and founder of the Chastity Project, an organization that promotes chastity primarily to high school and college students. He works and lives with his wife Crystallina Evert in Arizona. You can learn more about Jason’s ministry <a href="https://chastity.com">here</a>.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:buttons {"layout":{"type":"flex","justifyContent":"center","orientation":"horizontal"}} -->
<div class="wp-block-buttons"><!-- wp:button {"backgroundColor":"black","textColor":"white"} -->
<div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-black-background-color has-text-color has-background" href="https://hallow.onelink.me/Q25Y/861d7810">Listen to Jason's Bible Story</a></div>
<!-- /wp:button --></div>
<!-- /wp:buttons -->

<!-- wp:image {"className":""} -->
<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/0JM3q6cS0-FSZAe5ZqiyQpa_PaaCA6XbVWR1h1w-egpt5TU2nyVNmioUPTt-hak--FqgBPs7ftVkMogt7gVsmBCRWeM5w_4O6DdC2zJNxzibHUf9rvLKQQga6nAML1_BAHU6XOeG" alt=""/></figure>
<!-- /wp:image -->

<!-- wp:heading {"level":4,"className":""} -->
<h4 class="">Matt Fradd - “Song of Songs” (Songs 1-6)</h4>
<!-- /wp:heading -->

<!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} -->
<p class=""><em>“</em><em>Let me seek him whom my soul loves.</em><em>” </em>(Songs 3:2)</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} -->
<p class="">The Song of Songs is a book in the Bible rich in imagery that contains several poems about two lovers in ancient Israel. Many people see the book as an allegory of God’s love for his people, with God the Lover calling out to Israel, his Beloved, and Israel praising God for his beauty and goodness. Passages from the Song of Songs are often read at weddings, as well as major feasts in the Church year, including the Feast of St. Mary Magdalene.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} -->
<p class="">Matt Fradd is a Catholic apologist, writer, and host of the popular podcast “Pints With Aquinas.” He has written and contributed to several books including, <em>Does God Exist? A Socratic Dialogue on the Five Ways of Thomas Aquinas</em>, and <em>The Porn Myth</em>. You can learn more about Matt’s work <a href="https://pintswithaquinas.com/">here</a>.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:buttons {"layout":{"type":"flex","justifyContent":"center","orientation":"horizontal"}} -->
<div class="wp-block-buttons"><!-- wp:button {"backgroundColor":"black","textColor":"white"} -->
<div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-black-background-color has-text-color has-background" href="https://hallow.onelink.me/Q25Y/861d7810">Listen to Matt's Bible Story</a></div>
<!-- /wp:button --></div>
<!-- /wp:buttons -->

<!-- wp:image {"id":5366,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","className":""} -->
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://hallow.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/79_l-5-1024x611.png" alt="Paul J. Kim" class="wp-image-5366"/></figure>
<!-- /wp:image -->

<!-- wp:heading {"level":4,"className":""} -->
<h4 class="">Paul J. Kim - “Bless the Lord” (Daniel 3)</h4>
<!-- /wp:heading -->

<!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} -->
<p class=""><em>“</em><em>They walked about in the flames, singing to God and blessing the Lord. Azariah stood up in the midst of the fire and prayed aloud.”</em> (Daniel 3:24-25)</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} -->
<p class="">After a group of friends in Babylon refuse to worship an idol erected by King Nebuchadnezzar, they are sentenced to be thrown into a white-hot furnace. However, they sing songs of praise to God amidst the flames and are protected from harm. The story includes a long, rhythmic hymn that invites all creation to bless the Lord.<br><br>Paul J. Kim is a singer, speaker, and author who lives in Texas with his wife and four children. Paul presents to an average of 40,000 people a year and is the writer of the online course, <a href="https://www.catholicadulting.com/">“A Catholic Guide to Adulting.”</a> You can learn more about Paul’s ministry <a href="http://pjkmusic.com/">here</a>.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:buttons {"layout":{"type":"flex","justifyContent":"center","orientation":"horizontal"}} -->
<div class="wp-block-buttons"><!-- wp:button {"backgroundColor":"black","textColor":"white"} -->
<div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-black-background-color has-text-color has-background" href="https://hallow.onelink.me/Q25Y/861d7810">Listen to Paul J. Kim's Bible Story</a></div>
<!-- /wp:button --></div>
<!-- /wp:buttons -->

<!-- wp:image {"id":5368,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","className":""} -->
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://hallow.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/79_l-1-1024x611.png" alt="Bobby Angel" class="wp-image-5368"/></figure>
<!-- /wp:image -->

<!-- wp:heading {"level":4,"className":""} -->
<h4 class="">Bobby Angel - “Lazarus” (John 10:22-12:1)</h4>
<!-- /wp:heading -->

<!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} -->
<p class=""><em>“Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live.”</em> (John 11:25)</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} -->
<p class="">The raising of Lazarus from the dead is one of the most famous miracles that Jesus performs during his ministry. The story shows the deep compassion that Jesus feels for his friends and contains one of the shortest and most powerful verses in the Bible: “Jesus wept.”<br><br>Bobby Angel is a Catholic writer and teacher, and has served as a presenter for popular programs such as “Ascension Presents.” Him and his wife Jackie Angel work as Fellowes of the Word on Fire Institute. You can learn more about Bobby’s ministry <a href="https://jackieandbobby.com">here</a>.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

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<div class="wp-block-buttons"><!-- wp:button {"backgroundColor":"black","textColor":"white"} -->
<div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-black-background-color has-text-color has-background" href="https://hallow.onelink.me/Q25Y/861d7810">Listen to Bobby's Bible Story</a></div>
<!-- /wp:button --></div>
<!-- /wp:buttons -->

<!-- wp:image {"className":""} -->
<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/7sMTFtiu-PmfsSYqBuQZq1XmKTRpJVUz3MaZ5fI8rIsXh0DSHtQKRfzMaQ2P8QuLIFsTcjmrHKSb5Rv5omb2lBzc2zRxqfgwfEFc4qE8MBXtVlSjGj8fqBVfJpvGXBrlabi-L0BR" alt=""/></figure>
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<h4 class="">Fr. Josh Johnson - “The Last Supper” (John 14-17)</h4>
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<p class=""><em>“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me.”</em> (John 14:1)</p>
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<p class="">On the night he was betrayed, Jesus shares an intimate conversation with his disciples in which he assures them that he will send the Holy Spirit to be with them even after he is gone. The story ends with the powerful “Priestly Prayer” of Jesus, in which he asks for the Father’s blessing on the Church.<br><br>Fr. Josh Johnson is the pastor of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Church in the Diocese of Baton Rouge. He is the host of the podcast “Ask Fr. Josh” and author of the book <em>Broken and Blessed: An Invitation to My Generation</em>. Learn more about Fr. Josh’s ministry <a href="https://media.ascensionpress.com/category/ascension-podcasts/askfrjosh/">here</a>.</p>
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<div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-black-background-color has-text-color has-background" href="https://hallow.onelink.me/Q25Y/861d7810">Listen to Father Josh's Bible Story</a></div>
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<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://hallow.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/79_l-6-1024x611.png" alt="Sr. Jaime Mitchell" class="wp-image-5369"/></figure>
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<h4 class="">Sr. Jaime Mitchell - “Phillipians”</h4>
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<p class=""><em>“Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice!”</em> (Phil 4:4)</p>
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<p class="">Paul writes a letter to the Christian community in Phillippi, urging them to rejoice and follow Jesus’ example of humility in everything they do. The Letter to the Phillippians is made even more powerful when we consider that Paul wrote it while he was in prison being persecuted for his faith.<br><br>Sr. Jaime is a member of the Franciscans of the Holy Eucharist of Chicago. The apostolates of her order include: Service to the poor, evangelization, and teaching. You can find out more about Sr. Jaime’s religious community <a href="http://www.franciscansoftheeucharistofchicago.com">here</a>.</p>
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<div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-black-background-color has-text-color has-background" href="https://hallow.onelink.me/Q25Y/861d7810">Listen to Sr. Jaime's Bible Story</a></div>
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<h2 class=""><strong>More Prayers</strong></h2>
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<ul class=""><li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/how-to-pray-the-rosary/">How to Pray the Rosary</a></li><li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/how-to-pray-the-hail-mary/">How to Pray the Hail Mary</a></li><li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/how-to-pray-night-prayer/">How to Pray at Night</a></li><li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/how-to-pray-st-jude-novena/">How to Pray St. Jude Novena</a></li><li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/how-to-pray/-our-father/">How to Pray </a><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/how-to-pray-our-father/">the </a><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/how-to-pray/-our-father/">Lord's Prayer</a></li><li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/prayers-for-strength/">Prayers for Strength</a></li><li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/prayers-for-healing/">Prayers for Healing</a></li></ul>
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    [post_title] => Bedtime Bible Stories: Fall Asleep with Hallow
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https://hallow.com/2022/01/19/how-to-pray-the-hail-mary/
https://hallow.com/2019/09/25/how-to-pray-night-prayer/
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Bedtime Bible Stories: Fall Asleep with Hallow

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<h4 class=""><em>Get to know Jesus through the Gospel of Matthew this Advent with Hallow’s #Pray25</em></h4>
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<p class="">This Advent, join the Hallow community as we pray through <strong>every chapter of Matthew</strong>. Most days are one chapter, but we’ve combined a few to fit the 28 chapters of Matthew into the 25 days of Advent.<br></p>
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<p class="">Each day, we’ll read a passage from the chapter of the day, reflect on it together, and then offer prompts for you to bring to God. There will be 5, 10, and 15-minute options to fit every schedule. You are welcome to read the entire chapter on your own, but it’s not required!<br></p>
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<p class=""><strong>Why did we choose the Gospel of Matthew for Advent?</strong></p>
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<p class="">The Gospel of Matthew begins with the angel declaring “you shall name him Emmanuel,” which means <em>“God is with us.”</em></p>
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<p class="">And the Gospel of Matthew ends with Jesus declaring, <em>“I will be with you always</em>, until the end of the age.”</p>
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<p class="">From the first chapter to the last, the Gospel of Matthew reveals what God wants us to know: <strong>He is with us</strong>. In Advent, we prepare ourselves for the coming of God in three ways: at Christmas 2,000 years ago, into our lives today, and at the end of time.</p>
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<p class="">That’s why, during Advent, we sing “O come, O come Emmanuel.” We pray: Come, God who is with us. Come into our hearts, come into our world. Transform us. Bring us closer to your Son. Breathe in us your Holy Spirit. Fill us with your grace to live out the sacrificial love you modeled for us. And at the end of our earthly life, bring us home to you.</p>
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<p class="">This Advent, we hope to read the story of Jesus anew, in a way we haven’t done before yet on Hallow. We hope to see Jesus’ coming on Christmas in light of the whole picture – from his miraculous birth to his teachings, his death, and finally, to his triumphant Resurrection.</p>
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<h3 class=""><strong>Week by Week</strong></h3>
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<h5 class=""><em>Week 1: Hope</em></h5>
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<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://hallow.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/advent-week-1-1024x611.png" alt="" class="wp-image-4729"/></figure>
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<p class="">We begin Advent as we light the first purple candle, which symbolizes hope. This candle is called the “Prophecy Candle” in reference to the prophets, especially Isaiah, who foretold the birth of Christ. In the Gospel of Matthew, the author refers to the Old Testament over 100 times, reminding readers that all of salvation history has pointed towards Jesus from the beginning.</p>
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<p class="">During this week in #pray25, we’ll pray through chapters 1-7. We begin with the angel announcing Jesus’ coming, witness the wisemen meeting the Holy Family, Jesus’ baptism and temptation in the desert, and end with Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. These chapters reveal who Jesus is: the long hoped for Messiah.</p>
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<h5 class=""><em>Week 2: Faith</em></h5>
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<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://hallow.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/advent-week-2-1024x611.png" alt="" class="wp-image-4730"/></figure>
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<p class="">This week, we light the second candle, called the “Bethlehem Candle.” This candle represents faith, reminding us of the faith of Mary and Joseph as they journeyed to Bethlehem. This week, we also begin the next section of Gospel of Matthew: Jesus’ ministry in Galilee. In these chapters (8-17), we witness great moments of faith: Jesus healing both physical and spiritual ailments, inviting Peter onto the water, feeding the 4,000, and asking Peter: “Who do you say I am?” We end the week with the Transfiguration, a moment of glory to again remind us that Jesus is not just a great prophet or teacher, but the Son of God.</p>
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<h5 class=""><em>Week 3: Joy</em></h5>
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<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://hallow.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/advent-week-3-1024x611.png" alt="" class="wp-image-4731"/></figure>
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<p class="">This week, the Church lights the rose-colored candle, which symbolizes joy. This week is meant to remind us of the joy the world experienced at the birth of Jesus, as well as the joy of being halfway through Advent. This candle is often called the “Shepherd’s Candle,” and to start off the week, we read about the Good Shepherd from Matthew chapter 18. Over the course of the week, we read through chapter 24, and we experience both the joy of discipleship and the humility discipleship calls us to.</p>
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<h5 class=""><em>Week 4: Peace</em></h5>
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<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://hallow.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/advent-week-4-1024x611.png" alt="" class="wp-image-4732"/></figure>
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<p class="">During the fourth week of Advent, we light the final candle, often called the “Angel’s Candle,” which symbolizes peace. As we begin the final week of Advent with chapter 25, Jesus describes how we will be judged in His kingdom, where the last are first and the first are last; a kingdom that ultimately will bring true peace. Then, in chapters 26 and 27, we witness Jesus’ final meal with his disciples and his Passion and Death. </p>
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<p class="">It may seem strange to meditate on Jesus’ death so close to Christmas. But Jesus’ birth and life, death and resurrection cannot be separated from each other. When God sent his Son, he knew what was coming. He knew he had to suffer, but he also knew that through his suffering and death he’d bring about a greater joy – the joy of heaven opening up to all of us. The cross, then, though a cause for great sorrow, is also a great cause for hope, faith, joy, and peace. </p>
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<p class="">And we celebrate this during the final two days of #pray25 as we pray with the final chapter of the Gospel of Matthew. In this chapter, we rejoice at the Resurrection, and then on Christmas Eve, we hear Jesus tell us “I am with you always, until the end of the age.” He is truly Emmanuel, God with us.</p>
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<p class="">We hope that journeying through the Gospel of Matthew with Hallow this Advent draws you closer to God, and helps you celebrate with newfound joy on Christmas. We are so excited and grateful to pray with you.</p>
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<h2 class=""><strong>Related Prayers</strong></h2>
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<ul class=""><li><a href="https://hallow.com/2022/09/30/advent-prayers-catholic-meditations/">Advent Prayers</a></li><li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/thanksgiving-prayer/">Thanksgiving Prayers</a></li><li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/christmas-prayer-catholic-blessings/">Christmas Prayers</a></li><li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/how-to-pray-the-hail-mary/">Hail Mary Prayer</a></li><li><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/how-to-pray/-our-father/">Our Father Prayer</a></li></ul>
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    [post_title] => 2020 Advent Challenge: Re-discover Christ through Scripture
    [post_excerpt] => Get to know Jesus through the Gospel of Matthew.
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2020 Advent Challenge: Re-discover Christ through Scripture

Get to know Jesus through the Gospel of Matthew.

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<p class="">Our mission at Hallow is to help the world find peace &amp; purpose through prayer &amp; meditation, and to help us all build deeper and more meaningful relationships with God. We believe that if we all just let God into our lives, He will change the world. We take this mission incredibly seriously. Every decision we make at Hallow is guided by the goal to help as many people grow in prayer as possible.</p>
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<p class="">One of the important decisions we made when founding Hallow was how to structure ourselves as a legal entity. Our goal was to find a structure that allowed us to best achieve our mission and build what we think God is asking us to build. We wanted a structure that supported building a great product, bringing together a world-class team, and achieving great scale to impact as many people as possible as quickly as possible, while always staying accountable to our mission and values.&nbsp;</p>
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<p class="">As we looked at the different ways that we could structure Hallow to best support our mission, we considered both traditional not-for-profit and for-profit models. (We also thought hard about whether to charge for Hallow Plus. This is a related, but separate decision e.g., many non-profits charge fees. You can learn more about how we landed where we did, <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/why-do-we-charge-for-hallow-plus/">here</a>.)</p>
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<p class="">When we looked into the 501(c)(3) non-profit structure, the most attractive part was that the organization’s purpose is put very explicitly in the Articles of Incorporation, which helps to make sure that it always comes first. We saw three challenges, though, with the non-profit structure to achieving our mission at scale. First, non-profit leaders generally commit a lot of time and resources towards fundraising campaigns, taking away from the time and resources they and their teams could spend focused on building world class products. Second, 501(c)(3)’s are constrained to philanthropic pools of funding, which are generally not setup to support rapid scale and growth. And finally, the non-profit structure can make it difficult to offer competitive compensation to attract top talent, leaving technology and product quality to often fall behind over time.</p>
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<p class="">We then looked at the for-profit C-Corp model, which is the norm for start-ups (though interestingly also the structure of several strong mission-driven faith companies e.g., bulletin providers, Altar bread suppliers, Catholic publishers). The C-Corp is a powerful model that helps young companies to compete with much larger businesses to attract top talent (by providing employees with the opportunity to share in the future upside through equity) and build a truly world-class product. C-corps also have the option to raise money from the large pool of growth capital (e.g., VCs and institutional investors), to fund growth and achieve their missions at a much faster and larger scale. Our biggest concern with the C-Corp structure was the risk of prioritizing profits and shareholder value above the mission of the company. Even though many companies say that their mission comes first, the only legal requirement in their charters is to maximize shareholder value.</p>
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<p class="">Neither of these models seemed to fit our mission. We seemed to find ourselves struggling with the goldilock’s problem of having two options, but neither that were “just right.” It was then that we learned about Public-Benefit Corporations. It’s a structure that has been around since the mid-2000s, but is still relatively new, and it combines elements of both for-profit C-Corporations and non-for-profit 501(c)(3) organizations. Because Public-Benefit Corporations are a subset of C-Corps, they are able to raise growth capital and use equity to attract talent. At the same time, though, the structure allows for the organization to have two <em>equal</em> purposes in its legal charters, enabling (and actually legally requiring) them to prioritize both shareholder value <em>and </em>their social mission.&nbsp;</p>
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<p class="">No model is perfect, and the Public Benefit-Corp doesn’t solve all of our concerns. But after a lot of prayer and discussions with both start-up and spiritual advisors, we decided it was the best structure for Hallow. It gives us the best ability to build a world-class team and product, achieve our mission of helping the world to pray, and assure that growing profitably never comes ahead of our mission.&nbsp;</p>
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<p class="">We are still very early on in our journey, but so far have been incredibly blessed. We’ve been able to build an incredible talented and mission-driven team, partner with some amazing mission-driven and secular investors, and begin to achieve our mission at a scale none of us would’ve imagined possible. We’ve been able to lean on an incredible Board of Advisors (priests, nuns, bishops, professors, authors, led by Bishop Kevin Rhoades) to ensure that we stay true to our mission &amp; Church teaching and have been diligent about turning to God in prayer with every major decision we’ve faced. </p>
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<p class="">In the spirit of this mission, in addition to this Public-Benefit structure decision, my wife &amp; I have committed to donating any personal earnings beyond what is necessary to provide for our family, back to the Catholic Church and Her mission.</p>
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<p class="">I would love to hear any feedback you have. Feel free to email me at alex@hallow.app. At the end of the day our goal is simply to serve you as best as we can, and to be a tool through which God might change lives. I’ll close with a recent note we got from a user that hits on the importance of our mission better than I ever could. Glory be to God.</p>
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<blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><p>“<em>This app has been an answer for my weary soul. Tears pour as I try to impress on you how deeply I am impacted by the guidance into simply being with God. </em><strong><em>This is where my soul is finding peace for the very first time.</em></strong><em>”</em></p></blockquote>
<!-- /wp:quote -->
    [post_title] => Why We Made Hallow a Public-Benefit Corp
    [post_excerpt] => Is Hallow For-Profit or Not-For-Profit?
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Why We Made Hallow a Public-Benefit Corp

Is Hallow For-Profit or Not-For-Profit?

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    [post_date] => 2020-01-23 04:49:07
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<p class="">It’s a question we thought quite seriously about when we first started Hallow and continue to think about seriously. Should Hallow be a non-profit or a for-profit? Should it be free for everyone, or should there be a premium option?&nbsp;</p>
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<p class="">“Hallow is one of the best possible uses of my time and I love it. Hallow has really buoyed me throughout some difficult months. So it’s worth it no matter the cost.”</p>
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<p class=""><strong>We needed Hallow to be of the highest quality</strong></p>
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<p class="">We spoke with several of our spiritual directors, prayed about it and debated it as a team for months. The first thing we all agreed on was that our mission – to help people to pray – had to always come first. It had to guide every decision. Money must always be only a tool to achieve it, never a goal in itself. If we never made any money but were able to help people grow in their faith, we’d have succeeded.</p>
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<p class="">We realized that in order to do this, and especially to reach out to those who might have fallen away, we needed to build something high-quality. Unfortunately, the faith world, both in media and technology, does not often stack up against the quality of the secular world. As we started looking around, it broke our hearts. Our faith deserves the best.&nbsp;</p>
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<p class="">We used to do a great job of this. The Church was the source of the most beautiful buildings, the most incredible art, but for some reason, we’ve fallen short in the digital world. The content that we’re sharing is the most incredible content in the world: the Word of God. It deserves the highest quality design and technology to go with it. What we saw is that many people, especially young people, especially people who had fallen away from their faith, often wouldn’t even give an app a try if it wasn’t built to their standard of design and functionality. They just wouldn’t download it, regardless of the beauty of the content within it.&nbsp;</p>
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<p class="">We knew that we needed to create something high quality. Something that stacked up with the best in the world, both in terms of design, technology, and content. We needed to build a team of the best technical talent in the world. We needed to bring on incredible designers. And we needed to partner with the best content creators in the world to build something worthy of the beauty of the spirituality that we were sharing.&nbsp;</p>
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<p class="">“I resisted several times, but finally I gave it a whirl and I haven’t stopped spinning! The content is enriching and gratifying and meticulously arranged by topics and speakers! This app is worth every penny my friends - again thank you!”</p>
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<p class=""><strong>We needed Hallow to be a place of peace</strong></p>
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<p class="">We also knew that we really wanted Hallow to be a place of peace and respite away from the business of life. We didn’t want anyone to have to think about money while they prayed. We didn’t want to bombard anyone with ads or requests for donations. Hallow had to be transparent about pricing and then leave users in peace to pray on their own.</p>
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<p class="">We especially did not want anyone to worry about how Hallow was funding itself. We wanted total transparency. What we often heard from people we talked to was ‘if they’re not asking you to pay, then you’re the thing being sold.’ We never wanted anyone to worry about the privacy of their data with Hallow. We would never sell any user data. Our faith is one of the most personal aspects of our lives. Your privacy should always be the highest priority.</p>
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<blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} -->
<p class="">“I started off with the free trial of this app. However, it was not long at all before I decided it would be worth every penny to subscribe to this since this app really strengthens my spiritual practices...Lampert on spiritual warfare. I highly recommend giving this a trial but it is certainly well worth the money spent for this app”</p>
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<p class=""><strong>How we decided on our funding model</strong></p>
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<p class="">So, after much prayer and discernment, we decided on the premium model. We would price it at a little bit under $6 / mo for the annual plan (~20% discount to the standard secular meditation apps, but definitely still premium). And we would give away a free trial to test out the content without getting charged.</p>
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<p class="">There were two big benefits we saw from this that we honestly did not expect. The first was that people actually prayed much more. It started to make sense the more that we spoke with people using the app. We all try so many free things, we download a bunch of different free apps, but most we don’t end up using. Taking the step to put some skin in the game made people actually commit to growing deeper in their faith life. In the end, people were up to 2.4x more likely to build a daily habit of prayer if they made some initial investment, even if it was just starting a free trial.</p>
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<p class="">The second thing was that it made us a lot more committed to building something great. It held us as a team to the standard of building a truly premium product. The fact that we’re asking people to pay for it pushes us to stay up the extra hour till 3am to make sure it’s perfect.</p>
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<p class="">The issue is that most of us are often used to receiving apps for free because large companies can afford to build them and give them away for free. But what we are building at Hallow is a lot more like a book or audiobook than a gaming app. We have a small team of folks constantly working to write and create new content. And books, even those sold by non-profits and Bibles, almost always cost money so they can support their organization’s continued operations.</p>
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<p class="">That being said, we realize that there are many who cannot afford to purchase the subscription, and we, as a Christian organization, have to prioritize those who are experiencing poverty. So we decided to give a lot of our content away for free forever. We have thousands of sessions available for free forever: the daily rosary, the daily gospel, hundreds of meditations, music, and more. If someone is able to and wants to subscribe to unlock the rest of the content, they can choose to whenever they want, but they should be able to use the app to grow sustainably in their prayer life without paying.&nbsp;</p>
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<p class="">On top of that, we give away one free subscription for every one that’s purchased. Currently, we are giving away free subscriptions to all clergy members and have a scholarship path for other people to request free subscriptions.</p>
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<p class="">“This app has forever changed my life. It is so good at improving my nonexistent prayer life. I am more devout in my faith. I have incorporated prayer in every aspect of my life. I wake up using Hallow, work with Hallow, pray with my children with Hallow, lectio divina, adoration, reconciliation, listen to hymns and have done novenas. So worth the money my entire family is using it. Thank you Hallow for helping me become a more devout catholic and grow every day in the faith.”</p>
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<p class="">“I discovered Hallow when I needed to reinforce my faith, I just want to give some positive feedback - it’s worth every penny!”</p>
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<p class="">“So many good resources, paid for the annual subscription - more than worth the money”&nbsp;</p>
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<p class=""><strong>Trying to keep the mission always at our center</strong></p>
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<p class="">Anyway – I know this is a lot, but I just want to be as transparent as I possibly can with the decisions we make. At the end of the day, every decision we make at Hallow is made through prayer and consultation with the Church and spiritual directors. We hold ourselves to putting our mission first in everything we do, from product to pricing, hiring to firing, and strategy to governance. We structured ourselves as a public-benefit corporation in order to hold ourselves accountable to our mission while also leveraging the best of the startup world. In everything we do, our goal is simply to listen to what God is asking us to do and to do it: to let God Hallow our lives – and this is where we think He’s leading us today.&nbsp;</p>
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<p class="">“I absolutely adore this Hallow App. It's worth every penny and it motivates me each day.”</p>
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<p class="">“Absolutely wonderful and inspiring! Thank you. It is so worth every cent!!”</p>
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<p class="">“This app is worth every cent. There are so many elements to it that have helped to build up and enrich my prayer life.”</p>
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<p class="">“I pray with Hallow every day. Most important app I’ve ever downloaded.”</p>
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Why is there a Hallow subscription?

Trying to keep Hallow's mission at the center

WP_Post Object
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    [ID] => 473
    [post_author] => 3
    [post_date] => 2018-10-10 03:15:59
    [post_date_gmt] => 2018-10-10 03:15:59
    [post_content] => <!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} -->
<p class=""><strong><a href="https://hallow.com/blog/my-journey-from-atheist-to-maybe-a-christian-pt-1/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">My story</a> </strong>is not unique in today’s world. I was raised Catholic through high school. I was baptized, confirmed, and went to Mass pretty much every Sunday, but I never really believed in it all. I was largely just going through the motions. &nbsp;<br></p>
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<p class="">As you might expect, I quickly fell away from my faith. Up through the end of college I would have called myself agnostic, though in retrospect I was atheist. I thought: with everything we know in the 21<sup>st</sup> century, who could believe anymore in a God that sat up in the clouds and cared about whether we were nice or not? Weren’t all of these religions just different myths created to explain what science had yet to discover? Weren’t they all just legends to help us cope with death? &nbsp;I was not the kind of person to fall prey to the kind of naive thinking. I was the kind of person who believed what was supported by fact and evidence, by logic and reason.  <br></p>
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<p class="">It was a relatively dark and empty time in my life. There was nothing terribly depressing or evil, I just carried a vague feeling of emptiness and anxiety. I found myself being mean to people I loved, caught in feelings of jealousy, anxiety, lust, and insecurity. I struggled to have any real motivation or purpose. &nbsp;&nbsp;<br></p>
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<p class="">Then things began to change. I started to meet friends who had rational arguments for their faith, friends who didn’t just believe in someone up in the sky, but who had a philosophy and theology based on logic and reason and experience that guided their lives. I started to read, not books of advanced theology, but simple books trying to articulate the Christian faith at its core. Aspects from these discussions and books resonated within me: arguments about free will, about faith, about love. I started to think that maybe this whole Christianity thing wasn’t all just a fairy-tale after all. &nbsp;<br></p>
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<p class="">But something still didn’t click with me. Apparently, you’re supposed to be able to talk to this God. You’re supposed to be able to be friends with Him. And that’s something I had never experienced and, honestly, wasn’t sure I could. I tried praying, but for me, my only exposure to prayer were the ones I memorized as a child. I had never explored any new ways to pray, and though I knew that these memorized prayers were supposed to be deep and powerful, I just could not get past the feeling that I was talking to a wall.<br></p>
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<p class="">It was then that I entered the professional world - a world full of emails, reviews, deadlines, stress and busyness. A world with very little silence or time to pause. <br></p>
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<p class="">I kept trying to grow in my faith, but I felt like I was stagnating, so I decided to try mindfulness meditation. The only type of meditation I was aware of was from eastern traditions, and so I tried some of the popular guided apps.<br></p>
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<p class="">I loved them. They were a great way to learn mindfulness meditation without needing to travel across the world. &nbsp;For the first time I found what felt like a sense of peace and calm.  The only issue was that it felt like I was trying to force-fit my Christian faith into an agnostic or Buddhist box. I had no idea whether this was in line with what the Church taught, or if I was somehow going against my faith by practicing these methods of meditation. Plus, I could not get over the feeling that I was focusing too much on myself during these sessions. I kept feeling the pull of my mind to focus outward, to focus on my faith and on others.<br></p>
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<p class=""><strong>And that’s when I really started to think that there’s got to be something more</strong>. &nbsp;There’s got to be a way to build a deep and living relationship with God within the Christian context. After all, there are monks who spend their entire lives in seclusion, religious brothers and sisters who describe their life and work as “prayer without ceasing.” There are people my age who are choosing to dedicate themselves entirely to God alone.<br></p>
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<p class="">St. Thomas Aquinas, one of the greatest writers in Christian history, received a revelation from God so powerful that he left his culminating five-volume work unfinished simply saying: “All that I have written appears to be as so much straw after the things that have been revealed to me.”<br></p>
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<p class="">And I began to think, what if this kind of relationship is possible for me? What if there really is a God out there that cared about what I did with my life? Someone who is constantly trying to communicate with me? What if I could wake up each morning and instead of trying to figure out what I wanted to do, ask God what He wanted me to do? What if I could somehow start to hear Him, to recognize what He’s saying?<br></p>
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<p class="">What if I could spend the entire day in conversation with God? Constantly growing with Him, exploring and understanding my faith, and actually be excited to go to church?<br></p>
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<p class="">Constantly with Him. Sharing in His joy and peace. Bringing all of my shortcomings and worries, stresses and relationships to Him. Letting Him carry them for me. Letting Him into my day-to-day mundane routines, into my hopes and dreams. Letting Him guide my purpose in life. &nbsp;<br></p>
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<p class=""><strong>What if I could somehow find this peace, joy and relationship with God, without having to go off to live in the mountains somewhere?</strong><br></p>
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<p class="">That’s the question that started the work we’ve been doing at Hallow.<br></p>
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<p class="">Our goal is to discover how to find this relationship through our faith, how to share in the peace and joy God brings into the real world, every day. &nbsp;<br></p>
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<p class="">We spent the first few months digging in and researching all the different ways to pray and meditate offered in the Christian tradition. We talked to countless priests, religious brothers and sisters, faith leaders from different denominations and lay people inspired by their faith to try and learn the methods to finding and growing in peace with God. And we started testing and trying the different things we were learning in our own prayer lives. &nbsp;<br></p>
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<p class="">And what we found was more than we ever could have expected. We found a world deep with history, experience, and teaching going back thousands of years.<br></p>
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<p class="">A world where seminarians and religious brothers and sisters spend an entire year learning different methods of prayer that I, a supposed Catholic my entire life, had never even heard of.<br></p>
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<p class="">A world that offered an entire new collection of interesting and deeply spiritual ways to pray.<br></p>
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<p class="">We couldn’t wait to continue to learn and share them.<br></p>
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<p class="">This is the idea behind Hallow: provide a simple, easy-to-use mobile app that helps us foster a relationship with God and the peace of prayer through guided prayer and meditation.<br></p>
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<p class="">Hallow is a simple way to create a daily, personal retreat each morning for you in your home. The idea isn’t to invent new ways to pray, but rather to bring to the world the enormously rich pool of contemplative prayer methods that already exist within the Christian faith today.<br></p>
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<p class="">This is what we’re building. And so far we’ve been blessed beyond our wildest dreams. By the grace of God, after the first year we became the #1 Catholic App on the App Stores, and have just crossed 10 million prayers completed through the app.<br></p>
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<p class="">But more importantly, we're discovering that it is possible to build this kind of relationship with God in our day-to-day, and that this simple app is able to act as a means for the Holy Spirit to work through.<br></p>
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<p class="">Here are some of the things people have been saying about it:<br></p>
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<p class=""><em>"I’ve felt closer to God than I ever have before"</em></p>
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<p class=""><em>"By far the best app on my phone."</em></p>
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<blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} -->
<p class=""><em>"Hallow has been a miracle in my life and has made returning to the faith so much easier"</em></p>
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<p class="">"<em>I hate quoting a old, over used cliche, but I've been very lost. And I think for the first time in a while I maybe found."</em></p>
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<blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><!-- wp:paragraph {"className":""} -->
<p class=""><em><em>"I wouldn’t have decided to follow the Catholic Faith if it wasn’t for your app and the countless hours using it.</em></em>"</p>
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<p class=""><em><em>"<em>A huge gift for Christians of all stripes craving a more meaningful prayer practice.</em></em></em>"</p>
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<p class="">"<em><em><em>This app has been an answer for my weary soul. Tears pour as I try to impress on you how deeply i am impacted by the guidance into simply being with God. This is where my soul is finding peace for the very first time.</em></em></em>"</p>
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<p class=""><em><em><em><em>"I don’t rate apps...but this app by far is not only the best prayer app, but it also is the fruit of a whol­ly ded­i­cat­ed team of peo­ple who want to help peo­ple pray. This is a work of pas­sion and it shows. By far the best Chris­t­ian app, and by my es­ti­ma­tion, best app on the App Store.</em></em></em></em>"</p>
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<p class=""><strong>You might say, “Well that all sounds great, but how can I start? &nbsp;What can I do now?”  </strong><br></p>
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<p class="">Well, the first thing I'd say is just to download the app! It will walk you through step by step how to get started and personalize your experience for you. You can find it on the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store. Just type in Hallow, like Hallowed be Thy Name :) But if you're interested in reading more about a couple of the initial techniques that we put on the app, read on!<br></p>
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<p class="">One huge lesson we have learned in our research is that there are many different types of prayer. There are the traditional spoken prayers. There’s singing, chant, and Taizé meditation. There are group prayers and the Liturgy of the Hours. We've since added all of these types of prayer to the app! But the types of meditations that make up most of the content on the app can be categorized into Christian Meditation, the Examen, and Lectio Divina.<br></p>
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<p class=""><strong>1. Christian Meditation – Finding peace in silence</strong><br></p>
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<p class="">This type of prayer is simple. With all the busyness, distraction and noise in our lives today it feels like there is no way just to sit and be still. Christian meditation is one way we can.<br></p>
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<p class="">Essentially, we find a quiet place to sit and try to focus our mind on something holy. This might be a phrase such as “Come, Holy Spirit,” the Rosary, or an image of God leading you beside a stream.<br></p>
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<p class="">It’s a practice that’s very similar to the mindfulness meditation, but the difference is that we use this simple focus on the breath only to collect ourselves and then turn our minds to God. &nbsp;The best part of Christian meditation is that we are not the ones doing the work. The goal is to put ourselves in a position to let God takeover, to set our minds on Him and let Him lead us.<strong> </strong><br></p>
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<p class="">So, but how do you actually do it? First, try to find a time and place to pray. It can be anywhere: a floor, a chair, a couch, a bench. It just needs to be a place of calm and quiet where you can consistently return. You can have your legs straight or crossed, your hands clasped together or palms up. Essentially to begin you just want to be in a position that is comfortable (you shouldn’t be in pain), but alert (you don’t want to fall asleep). &nbsp;<br></p>
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<p class=""><em>Start with some deep breaths: in through the nose and out through the mouth. Gently close your eyes.</em><br></p>
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<p class=""><em>Turn your mind to the intent of this session: we’re doing this to grow closer with God. </em><br></p>
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<p class=""><em>In our first introduction session we encourage you to imagine yourself sitting on a bench next to God. &nbsp;Don’t try to force any thoughts, just simply rest with Him for a few minutes.</em><br></p>
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<p class=""><em>Then gently open your eyes. Try not to move or check your phone right away. Just sit and take note of how you feel.</em><br></p>
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<p class="">Most likely the first time you try this, you’ll realize what many do when starting this journey – our minds often race from one thing to the next. Silence is often uncomfortable.<br></p>
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<p class="">The great news, though, is that God is here to help. &nbsp;He’s already reaching out, always knocking at the door of our hearts…we just have to let Him in. By committing to spend even a few minutes in prayer each day, you’ll have already taken that most important step towards opening your mind and heart to conversation with God. &nbsp;The most important part for us is just to show up and try.<br></p>
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<p class=""><strong>2. The Jesuit Examen – Reflecting on your day</strong><br></p>
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<p class="">Okay, so now you’ve begun to practice sitting in silence with God. What we’ve found as a good next step is learning to see God and listen to God throughout your day. One of the best ways we’ve found to build this practice is through the Examen. <br></p>
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<p class="">The Examen is a technique developed by St. Ignatius of Loyola, a man born in Spain who served as a soldier before becoming a priest, theologian, founder of the Jesuit order, and renowned spiritual director. Even though he lived in the 15th and 16th centuries, his <a href="https://hallow.com/blog/ignatian-spirituality-and-the-spiritual-exercises/">spiritual exercises</a> are still widely practiced today. <br></p>
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<p class="">The Examen is typically practiced at night as a way to review your whole day.<br></p>
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<p class=""><em>You begin in the same way you did before with Christian meditation. Find a comfortable and alert position, take some deep breaths, and acknowledge the intent of the prayer: that we’re doing this to grow closer with God.</em><br></p>
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<p class=""><em>Simply start then to walk through your day as if you’re replaying a movie in your mind: all the scenes and details, sights, sounds, tastes, smells, interactions with other people, and any challenges or joys. Notice occasions that really stand out – for good or for bad – and embrace the ordinary, mundane moments as well.</em><br></p>
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<p class=""><em>As you go through the day in your mind simply ask yourself, “Where was God in these moments?” Ask the Holy Spirit for help - help to show you where God was present and to guide us to the moments He wants to bring our attention to.</em><br></p>
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<p class=""><em>After you’ve reviewed the day, reflect on it as a whole. &nbsp;Call to mind the moments for which you were most grateful, savor them, and thank God. </em></p>
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<p class=""><em>Turn your mind to the moments you weren’t at your best, times when you felt stress or anxiety, when you might’ve done wrong against someone or failed to do good for another person. Talk to God about these times and humbly ask for His forgiveness. </em><br></p>
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<p class=""><em>Then, start to think about tomorrow. What are you excited for? What are you nervous about? Visualize yourself walking through the day with God and ask for His help.</em><br></p>
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<p class=""><em>Gently open your eyes. Thank God for the time together.</em><br></p>
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<p class="">We’ve found that this is an easy and effective way at the end of the day to help you build the practice of mindfulness and better recognizing God’s presence throughout the day.</p>
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<p class=""></p>
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<p class=""><strong>3. Lectio Divina – A conversation with God</strong><br></p>
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<p class="">Last, but certainly not least, is Lectio Divina - the first method of prayer we cover that directly incorporates the Bible. Lectio Divina means “divine reading” in Latin and is a way of reading the Bible in which we gradually let go of our own agendas and open ourselves to what God is trying to say to us.<br></p>
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<p class="">This prayer method works well at any point in the day; and, like the other methods, is best done in a consistent and quiet place. As always, we start with some deep breaths.<br></p>
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<p class=""><em>Then you turn to a passage from the Gospels and begin to read it very slowly. &nbsp;It doesn’t matter which passage you pick, but it might help to start with passages you’re already familiar with. If you’re unsure, feel free to google the daily reading for Mass that day. &nbsp;&nbsp;Within the app, these passages are assembled into different themes and read to you.</em><br></p>
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<p class=""><em>Typically, you only want to focus on a short passage, usually only a handful of verses</em><em>. </em><em>Read these verses as slowly and meditatively</em><em> </em><em>as you can and notice if a word, phrase or image stands out to you.</em><br></p>
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<p class=""><em>It may take reading the passage over again 2 to 3 times before a word or phrase calls out to you, but once you’ve found it, sit with it. Hold it in your mind.</em><br></p>
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<p class=""><em>Then after a few minutes, begin to talk with God. Listen to what He’s trying to say to you through these words and then respond. Finally, as in the previous methods, spend some time at the end simply resting with God in His presence.</em><br></p>
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<p class=""><em>At the end of these prayers, we close with the prayer that Jesus taught us, the Our Father, and the sign of the cross. As you did before with the Gospels, try to pick a word from the Our Father to carry with you throughout the day.</em><br></p>
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<p class="">In fact, the word that first stuck out to me during my first attempt at Lectio Divina was the name of the app – the word hallow from the Our Father. <br></p>
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<p class=""><strong>How do I actually get started?</strong><br></p>
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<p class="">This is a lot to digest - and it’s only the tip of the iceberg. Plus, it all sounds great on paper, but as we all know, it’s so much harder to actually take the time every day to commit to spending time in prayer.<br></p>
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<p class="">This is the reason why we’re so excited about Hallow. We think it gives an easy and accessible way to learn and practice the three methods outlined here, plus so many more – such as meditations on the Daily Gospel, Rosary or Divine Mercy Chaplet, themed content on joy, humility, love, letting go, or calm, targeted challenges to rediscover traditional prayers like the Our Father, the Stations of the Cross, the Psalms, and the Saints, and Sleep Bible Stories and prayers to help us rest at night with God.<br></p>
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<p class="">We believe Hallow can help you as it’s helped all of us on the team to build a habit of prayer through daily prayer reminders and a journal to help you keep track of your journey. There is a free version of the app available and an optional upgrade to Hallow Plus that starts with a 2-week free trial and then is either $8.99 per month or $59.99 per year (20% less than the leading meditation apps). For every one subscription purchased, one will be given away for free to those who can’t afford it, but are looking to grow in their faith lives (e.g., candidates in adult Christian formation programs, those who can’t afford it).<br></p>
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<p class="">I have personally started praying with all three throughout my week – rotating between Lectio and Meditation each morning with the Examen or Night Prayer at night. The routine has dramatically changed and deepened my relationship with God. I have felt happier, more at peace, more joyful, more thankful and I have started to discover a real friendship with God. I get to wake up each day and enter into a conversation with God. We joke, we laugh; He pushes me, He helps me. When I get a tough email, need to have a difficult conversation, or disappoint myself, I have someone to lean on. And when things go well, and I’m reminded of my blessings, I get to share in the gratitude with God. I am still very much a sinner and am only just beginning my relationship with God, but my hope is that we can all embark on this wonderful adventure with Him together.<br></p>
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<p class="">All of us here at Hallow just want to say thank you. We appreciate you taking the time to read our story. Feel free to share this blog or the app with your friends and family or reach out to us if you have any questions at all. &nbsp;Know that we’re praying for you and your journey in faith and are blessed to get to be a part of it with you.<br></p>
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<p class="">Peace be with you,<br></p>
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<p class="">Alex (Co-founder and CEO of Hallow) and the Hallow team</p>
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    [post_title] => The Hallow Story
    [post_excerpt] => Curious about how Hallow came about? Click here for our story! 
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The Hallow Story

Curious about how Hallow came about? Click here for our story!

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