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Millions of Catholics across America are heading to church on Ash Wednesday to receive a cross of ashes on their foreheads, a ritual that marks the start of Lent — the season of 40 days leading up to Easter that symbolizes mortality and calls believers to penance and repentance as they draw closer to God during this holy time.
Jonathan Roumie, who portrayed Jesus in “The Chosen” and is a primary voice for the Hallow Catholic prayer app, told Fox News Digital this week that “Lent becomes a time for just meditation, peace and reflection.”
“I think every year, the noise in the culture, the global noise, just seems to get louder and louder and louder,” said Roumie.
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This year’s Hallow 40 Day Prayer Challenge is themed “The Return,” he noted.
“It is essentially the epitome of what it means to take time for yourself, and to return to this time of meditation and prayerfulness with God,” he said.
Roumie said the challenge will give believers “resilience” to cut through “all the noise that gets louder and louder every year.”
A Barna Group study, published in September, suggested that church attendance has increased among Gen Z and millennial men — demonstrating signs of a return to church that surpasses even that of older generations.
Gen Z men are attending slightly more often than millennial men, marking a generational reversal.
“I think [it’s] because men are sort of really tired of what they’re experiencing in society and in the world in general,” said Roumie.
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He said that for “men in society, good men, holy men and responsible men — everything just works better. Their lives are more fulfilled, their relationships are improved, their marriages are improved and their relationships with their kids are made much fuller and more vibrant and loving.”
Roumie said his own faith has grown through the use of the Hallow App.
“Despite all the crises we see, everywhere we look, this opportunity to be able to pray and return to the Father and to connect with God allows [people] to ultimately fulfill the mission it has for them in their lives.”
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He said anyone can use the app to meditate for 10 or 15 minutes, or longer, to pray or meditate.
“It gives me a sense of calm and peace and mindfulness.”
“Whenever I [use the app],” he said, “it is drawing me closer to Christ. It gives me a sense of calm and peace and mindfulness — but you don’t have to be a Christian of any faith to get peace from praying with this app.”
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He added that “the questions and the meditations are designed to help people in any stage of their walk of faith.”
Hallow was founded in December 2018. Mark Wahlberg and Chris Pratt are among the many others who have been outspoken about their regular use of the app for prayer and meditation.
