Prayer Application For Smartphones And Social Networking Site For Catholics Launched

THE BIRTH OF THE DIGITAL ROSARY that solves the problem of believers being alone

The shrine of the holy House of Loreto promotes thoughts on faith and the opportunities offered by technology

LORETO, Italy - 22 November 2009 – At the Apostolic Place today, representatives of the ecclesiastical world, communications and information technology met to talk about a topical subject: the relationship between faith and technology in the era of digital culture. And an innovative project by the Shrine of the Holy House of Loreto. And the Digital Rosary – technologically advanced applications for smart phones, which accompanies and guides the recitation of the Rosary. Above all, through the Digital Rosary, the faithful can access the social network of prayer.

The social network of prayer is an innovation within the social network because it is the first solution to offer the faithful the opportunity to become part of a world scenario: now people can pray with their friends and also with people thousands of miles apart for a same prayer intention, start discussion topics on a special blog, access to information and documents on the Sanctuary of Loreto, and more.
The social network of prayer is therefore a web space, virtual but with very real relationships, which helps the faithful to live in the Catholic community which forms part of being a believer.
The social network of prayer is now online at www.prexcommunion.com, a community that is more than just a network for the installation of technology with the wealth of options and tools available to the faithful whose privacy is guaranteed and protected.

The Debate
His Excellency, Archbishop Monsignor Giovanni Tonucci Pontifical Delegate opened the debate on how new technologies can be an occasion to rediscover the true dimension of faith, lived through the experience of community which is a critical requirement.

Monsignor Tonucci emphasized how the website reveals a deep and careful research of advanced tools for support in prayer.

"The idea was born among the faithful involved here in Loreto to accompany the lonely and those who wish to be heard in prayer together with others,” said the Archbishop, “the thousands of people who perceive the spiritual reality of the body mystic. In the beginning, a year ago, the Electronic Rosary was developed, a small device that even I carry with me in the car. It was a success, so we thought to open up to new horizons through mobile phones: the use of the rosary beads to pray the rosary was a first technological step, and now we have made others in support of prayer.”

In a society like ours, where many daily commitments make it increasingly rare to have moments of contemplation and meditation, the Digital Rosary plays an important task to provide more opportunities to pray together with others.

The conference was opened by His Excellency Archbishop Monsignor Giovanni Tonucci Papal Delegate at the Sanctuary of Loreto and moderated by Cesara Buonamici of Tg5, an Italian TV station.
Among the other speakers who participated, were:-
Leticia Soberon, Official of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, which brought the perspective of the Holy See.
Luigi Accatoli who has shown his experience as a privileged observer as a journalist and author of the Vatican his namesake blog, a lively center of debate on the issues of faith.
Stefano Bellon, Vice President of the Foundation City of Hope and Ruben Razzante, Professor of Information and Cultural Products of the Catholic University of Milan.

The second session saw Vincenzo Coccoli, CEO of MoreTechnology. “In today’s busy world, the PREX smartphone application brings people together to stay in touch by linking to the website as well as reciting the Rosary with images, text and the Mysteries so that they can find the time to pray alone or in a group and mediate wherever they are,” explained Vincenzo Coccoli, CEO of the group MoreTechnology, within which Euro Digital Equipment operates - the company that researched and developed in the internet, smart phone and electronic forms of the Digital Rosary.

He was followed by Ascanio Orlandini, CEO of Euro Digital Equipment, Fabrizio Caprara, CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi Italy, and Silvio Meazza, Head of Interactive at Saatchi & Saatchi Italy who has created the image of the platform and the communication campaign.

The project

- The Digital Rosary

The Digital Rosary, an evolution of the PREX Electronic Rosary, is an application for iPhones and other smart phones that accompanies the recitation of the Rosary through a guiding voice.

The application is called iPREX and is available now on the Apple Application Store. The version for Nokia and Blackberry phones is called jPREX and is available on www.prexcommunion.com

When a button is pressed, it starts the recitation of the Holy Rosary, with contributions also recorded by S.E.R. Monsignor Giovanni Tonucci, for the introduction and gives the final blessing.

The activation of praying the Rosary automatically sets the enunciation of the Mystery of the day of the week when it was decided to pray.

When users are registered on the social network of prayer, the Digital Rosary “counts” their prayers in the social network.

- The social network of prayer

The social network of prayer is the most innovative solution ever made in this area, and can be used either via a web browser and through the Digital Rosary.

This social network site is accessible at www.prexcommunion.com where the faithful can come into contact with other believers, propose or accept prayer intentions and pray along with their prayer group. The digital format also lets individuals know in real time how many other faithful in the world are praying with them for the same intention.

The social network of prayer is characterized by being a sort of “Facebook of prayer,” with which, in addition to praying, the faithful can also create custom spaces, blogs, discussion forums, share documents, calendars of religious events and set up prayer meetings.

In addition, historical and religious documents on Loreto, Loreto insights on prayer, and images of the sanctuary can be found in the “Subsidiary Information” of the website www.prexcommunion.com

Contact Information

Nigel Robson

Consultant

Vortex PR

Contact via E-mail