On August 27, the 3D Catholic app and Twitter account were launched by the University of Notre Dame. Most likely, you have seen 3D Catholic advertised throughout campus, whether by fellow students, by flyers in dorm and classroom buildings, and even on the tables of NDH and SDH. It has been commonly referred to as “Yik-Yak for Catholics”. But it that all 3D really is?
3D Catholic: Yik-yak for Catholics?
3D Catholic is not just a mobile app or a Twitter account; it is a movement “that unites Catholics in the practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving”. 3D stands for “three devotions”, and the three devotions are praying the Angelus at noon every day, fasting from meat every Friday (not just Lenten Fridays), and performing one work of mercy per week.
Here are the “3D” listed on the app.
Prayer is daily conversation with God, and the more one communicates with God, the stronger their relationship with Him becomes. The Angelus is a prayer that commemorates the Annunciation and, more importanly, the Incarnation. Centuries ago, it was tradition for Catholics to pray the Angelus three times a day at 6:00AM, noon, and 6:00PM, but today most Catholics do not pray or know the Angelus.
This painting, like the Angelus prayer, depicts the Annunciation (and Incarnation).
Abstaining from meat every Friday is the second devotion. The Catholic Church calls Catholics to fast from something every Friday (traditionally meat) to commemorate the Lord’s Passion, the ultimate expression of Jesus’s love for humankind. Fasting also brings Cathollics closer to God. Through deprivation of something in the material world, the spiritual world is more accessible and desirable. It reminds Catholics that God is the most important and necessary being of all.
The second devotion is no meat! (on Fridays)
Almsgiving is a great way to express love for to God and your neighbors. Therefore, the 3D Catholic movement seeks to spread the practice of doing at least one work of mercy a week. There are seven corporal works of mercy:
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, and soul. Love your neighbor as yourself.” The works of mercy are a great way to express this love.
The app allows the user to set up daily/weekly reminders to perform these devotions and to keep track of them. It offers short explanations of the devotions and also offers suggestions for each work of mercy. If you turn location services on, you can access a map of places to perform works of mercy and the portion of the program most similar to Yik-Yak, where you can post anonymous prayer intentions. Twitter account followers get daily reminders for the devotions, motivational quotes, and suggestions on ways to further their faith lives.
With location services, you can find nearby places and time of corporal works of mercy.
Although the movement is based in Notre Dame, 3D Catholic hopes to spread to other college campuses and throughout the world. Calling it “Yik-Yak for Catholics” may be helpful and catchy for first-time users and followers, but that description does not express the true intentions and purpose of 3D Catholic.
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