Instructions: settings

The settings are reached by tapping the Android menu symbol (usually three dots in a vertical line) at the top right-hand corner of any Universalis page and picking "Settings" from the menu that appears.

If you can’t see the menu button: Some manufacturers change the three-dots symbol, or delete the menu button from the top right of their screens. In that case, the device may have a physical menu button outside the screen. Or there may be no physical menu button at all, and you have to open the menu by pressing and holding down the "application switch" button at the bottom right of the screen. This page from WhatsApp has useful explanations and pictures.

Here is a list of the settings and what they mean.

Local calendar

There is a General Calendar, shared by the whole Church, and then there are local calendars which have saints and celebrations of more local interest. For example, Saint Benedict is celebrated with a memorial in the universal Church but with a feast in Europe, while Saint Willibrord, who isn't in the General Calendar at all, is celebrated with an optional memorial in some English dioceses and a solemnity in the Netherlands.

Not all local calendars are included in Universalis, but an increasing number are. Pick the one that looks best for you.

Liturgy of the Hours

Invitatory Psalm: four different psalms may be used as the Invitatory Psalm, although Psalm 94 (95) is the traditional one. Universalis lets you choose whether to rotate between the permitted options ("Different each day") or stick to Psalm 94 (95) permanently ("Same every day").

Psalm translation: the Grail translation is the one used in most English versions of the Liturgy of the Hours worldwide. For copyright reasons we have to use a version of our own in our web pages, so we offer it here as an alternative in case you have got used to it.

Readings at Mass

Readings & Psalms: in the English-speaking world, the most usual translation is the Jerusalem Bible for the Scripture readings and the Grail version of the psalms. In the USA, the New American Bible is used. Universalis lets you choose either. We apologize to Canada and South Africa: we are still trying to negotiate with the owners of the NRSV, which you are using at Mass.

Prayers and Antiphons: If you are using Universalis as a private spiritual resource, the Mass readings of the day are probably all that you want. If you are taking it to Mass with you, you may want the Entrance Antiphon and the other prayers and antiphons from the printed missals. This option lets you choose.

Order of Mass

Priest's Private Prayers: You can choose whether to include in the Order of Mass (and in Mass Today) the prayers that are said silently or quietly by the priest.

Extra languages

Gospel at Mass: You can choose whether to view the original Greek text of the Gospel alongside the English. This may nor work on your device: some manufacturers do provide the correct font on their Android devices, others do not, and the app has no way of knowing. (The feature to ask about is “polytonic Greek”).

Order of Mass: You can view Latin or one of a number of other European languages in parallel with the English text of the Order of Mass. This is intended to help you follow Mass when you are abroad. The Mass Today page will also show you the parallel texts, but it will display the daily content (prayers, psalms and readings) in English only.

Liturgy of the Hours: You can choose whether to view the Latin text of the Hours alongside the English.

Web-based services

Set up daily emails: If you like, our web site can send you daily emails with all the Hours or just a selection of them. Press this button to set it up.