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After Super Bowl ad, Catholic prayer app Hallow sees biggest spike in its history

February 12, 2024 Catholic News Agency 2
A still from Hallow’s Super Bowl commercial that aired Feb. 11, 2024. / Credit: Hallow

CNA Staff, Feb 12, 2024 / 17:45 pm (CNA).

The Catholic prayer app Hallow aired its first-ever commercial during Super Bowl LVIII, which saw the Kansas City Chiefs win their second consecutive championship on Feb. 11. Immediately following the airing of the ad, Hallow saw the biggest spike in downloads in its history, according to Alex Jones, CEO of Hallow. 

“It was the most downloads in a single minute we’d ever seen,” Jones told CNA. “We’re already ranking ahead of Netflix on the App Store charts and Lent hasn’t even started yet. Glory to God.” 

The 30-second ad was shown in 15 markets across the country.

The commercial began with Catholic actor Mark Wahlberg, who recently starred in “Father Stu,” blessing himself with holy water as he enters a church. 

“We take this moment to give you thanks. We thank you for this time to come together as a family, as friends, and as a country. Help us Lord, especially this Lent, to grow closer to you. Amen,” Wahlberg’s voice said as images of a family at the dinner table, friends at a football game, a group of soldiers, and Catholic actor Jonathan Roumie receiving ashes on his forehead were shown. 

The commercial ended with Wahlberg encouraging viewers to join Hallow in prayer this Lenten season.

“It was a phenomenal night. A dream come true. For the first time ever during the Super Bowl, we all got to take 30 seconds to give thanks to God,” Jones, who is also co-founder of Hallow, told CNA in an interview.

“We’ve been blown away by the responses to the spot,” he said. “We’ve heard from many who were inspired to join us and give prayer a try for the first time in a long time this Lent.”

Jones shared that they were “humbled” to see the response from people, receiving thousands of emails, tweets, and text messages from people sharing their thoughts. 

“It was a huge bet for us,” he said. “When we were producing the spot we decided really to just focus on making it all about Jesus — just on spending time in prayer with God. It was amazing to see how the spot resonated with so many. It was an honor to get to pray together and we’re thrilled to continue to pray together with everyone this Lent.”

Another faith-based ad aired during the Super Bowl was created by a nondenominational group with the intention of sharing Jesus’ love to all audiences. “He Gets Us” also aired two commercials during last year’s Super Bowl, which were met with mixed reactions.

This year, the minute-long commercial was titled “Foot Washing” and showed several still images of individuals having their feet washed, including a woman outside of a family planning clinic. 

The ad ends with the words “Jesus didn’t teach hate. He washed feet.”

According to the group’s website, this year’s theme was chosen to “focus on the thematic inverse of last year’s commercial — one built on the premise of love and unity. And with an upcoming election year that will be filled with division and derision, we decided to focus on one of the most important directives given by Jesus — love your neighbor.”

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News Briefs

‘All glory to God’: Chiefs’ Butker makes game-winning kick in the Super Bowl while wearing scapular

February 13, 2023 Catholic News Agency 1
Kansas City Chiefs’ kicker Harrison Butker (left) and Kansas City Chiefs’ punter Tommy Townsend watch the ball during Super Bowl LVII between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on Feb. 12, 2023. / Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images

Washington D.C., Feb 13, 2023 / 11:07 am (CNA).

The game-winning kick in Super Bowl LVII was made by a Catholic, who later gave credit to his teammates and glory to God.

With the score even at 35-35 and seconds remaining in the game, Harrison Butker kicked a field goal to give the Kansas City Chiefs a victory over the Philadelphia Eagles, 38-35. 

The 27-year-old kicker is outspoken about his Catholic faith, and many on social media were quick to point out that during the game he was wearing what appeared to be a brown scapular around his neck.

The scapular, which is made up of two pieces of brown wool and is worn hanging across one’s chest and back, is a sacramental from the Carmelite tradition that anyone can wear as a sign of their consecration to Mary.

As the ball went through the uprights, his teammates embraced him in a joyous celebration. Butker had just helped give the Chiefs their second Super Bowl victory since 2020.

“The offensive line did a great job blocking. Great snap, great hold — and thankfully, that ball went through. All glory to God,” Butker said on Feb. 12, according to Arrowhead Pride. 

In an interview with CNA in 2022, Butker opened up about his love for the Traditional Latin Mass, saying: “I think it really entices a lot of young people who are looking for answers. They’re looking for happiness. And for me, I found happiness in embracing the faith offered in the Catholic Church.” 

“I felt like I wasn’t able to embrace it until I saw it completely exposed in the light. I knew that I had discovered authentic Catholicism. And I found that at the Traditional Latin Mass, in the traditional sacraments, and I think a lot of young people have found that as well,” Butker said.  

Butker’s game-deciding field goal looked effortless, despite his having missed a field goal earlier in the game.

In the first quarter, Butker’s 42-yard field goal attempt ricocheted off of the left goal post, resulting in a missed opportunity to give the Chiefs an early lead.

Speaking about the missed kick after the game, Butker said he just focused on the next opportunity to score a field goal.

“You got to get that out of your mind and just focus on the process and the next opportunity that you get.”

“But I felt like as the game went on, I was hitting a better ball, a better rotation, and yeah, glad that last kick went through,” he said.

Butker became the deciding factor on Super Bowl Sunday, but that’s not the only game he helped clinch for the Chiefs. Just two weeks earlier at the AFC Championship game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Butker hit the game-winning field goal with three seconds left to send the Chiefs to the Super Bowl.

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who led his team to victory, also talked about the importance of his Christian faith at a news conference ahead of Sunday’s Super Bowl.

“I know that I’m blessed to be in this position … and so to have a faith backing, I know why I’m here — and it’s not about winning football games. It is about glorifying him,” Mahomes said.

“I have no pressure when I step on that football field, because I know why I’m here.”

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