Unplugging for Lent

Fasting from food is the most traditional Lenten practice, but in an era of endless notifications, doom-scrolling, and digital distractions, a different kind of fast might be just as necessary: a fast from some forms of technology.

Some of us rely on technology for everything, including our spiritual lives. Prayer apps guide our devotions, digital rosaries track our prayers, and live-streamed Masses keep those of us who are homebound somehow connected with our communities. But could constant digital engagement — even with faith-based content — be keeping us from true spiritual depth?

Lent is a time to step back and ask: Is my technology serving my soul, or is it shaping my spiritual habits in ways I don’t even notice?

There’s no doubt that Catholic tech resources have real value. Pope Francis himself launched the Click to Pray app, and many Catholics have found solace in online faith communities. But there’s also a danger: When prayer apps become just another part of our daily scrolling, do we risk treating prayer like a checklist instead of an encounter?

St. Thérèse of Lisieux famously said, “For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven.” But a heart surging toward heaven requires focus. If prayer is constantly interrupted by texts, social media, and news alerts, are we truly present to God?

Lent is a season of stripping away distractions to make space for God. The Church calls us to fasting, almsgiving, and prayer — not as burdens, but as ways to reorient our hearts. Technology is not inherently bad, but it often conditions us for shallow attention, making sustained prayer more difficult.

Catholic theology emphasizes real presence — not just in the Eucharist, but in our whole approach to faith. God became flesh, not data. Sacraments require physical participation, not just virtual engagement. If our prayer lives are becoming more digital than incarnational, Lent is the perfect time to restore balance.

A Lenten tech fast doesn’t have to mean abandoning all devices. Instead, it can be a way to recalibrate our habits:

• Limit prayer apps – Use them to guide prayer, but don’t let them replace deep, device-free time with God. Try praying a Rosary without tracking your progress on an app.
• Fast from passive consumption – Reduce time spent watching religious content and spend more time actively engaging: reading Scripture, attending Adoration, or praying in silence.
• Disconnect to reconnect – Turn off notifications during prayer. Consider setting aside one evening a week to be completely offline.
• Make Mass a phone-free experience – If you’ve been watching livestreams out of habit, prioritize in-person attendance whenever possible. Check in with your parish homebound ministry to ensure that you are receiving the Eucharist at least weekly.

Lent teaches us discipline, but it also awakens desire — desire for a deeper connection with God. A digital fast isn’t about rejecting technology but reclaiming the silence it so often drowns out.

In the Book of Kings, Elijah does not hear God in the earthquake or the fire, but in a “still small voice” (1 Kings 19:12). If we never put our phones down, how will we hear it?

This Lent, perhaps the greatest sacrifice we can offer is our attention.

Read more:Keeping the Sabbath in the age of artificial intelligence

Read more:Some simple keys to ‘media fasting’ during Lent

Read more:Pope warns of “brain rot” from phone scrolling