Universalis

Creating QR codes

Current calendar: General Calendar.

If the calendar identified above is not your local calendar, then select your calendar from the list at the end of this page.

What is a QR code?

A QR code is a mysterious pattern of black and white squares which your phone can read and you can’t. The point of a QR code is that when you point your phone’s camera at it, the phone will understand the code and take you to the web site it represents. For instance:

• If Mass leaflets aren’t available, and people need them, you can have a poster with a big QR code on it. People can use that code to send their phone to the Readings at Mass page in Universalis. (A Mass with everyone’s nose in a phone is not a good idea; but if people need to follow just the readings, this is one way of doing it).
• On the church door, when the church is shut, have a QR code for (say) Morning Prayer, so that anyone who passes will have instant access to a prayer resource.
• In a parish newsletter, include a small QR code for whatever you would like to encourage people to read: the Readings at Mass, or one or more of the Hours.

But your ideas are bound to be better than ours.

How to publish a code

Please, before you start, check that you have the right calendar. This page is set to “General Calendar”. If that isn’t your calendar, then pick the right calendar from the list at the end of this page.

You will see a list of codes below. Find the one you want, right-click on it (or long-tap if you’re using a phone or tablet). Your browser will pop up a menu including a command saying something like “Save Image As...”. Choose that command, and save the image somewhere where you’ll find it again. On a computer, the desktop is as good a place as any.

Then create a document in whatever word processor you use, and incorporate that image in it. It can be whatever size you want. For a poster to be scanned from a distance, you will want to make it quite big. For something like a newsletter, 1" square is a good size to try, though smaller codes may work. Try some experiments.

What instructions to give people

You don’t need to tell people how to scan a code. You can safely leave it to them. If their phone can scan QR codes, they will probably know how; if it doesn’t, then it doesn’t. As a general rule, iPhones less than 5 years old will scan a code just by pointing the camera at it. With Android, sometimes code-scanning is part of the main Camera app and sometimes a separate app is needed: different manufacturers do different things.

Available QR codes

About Today

Readings at Mass

Office of Readings

Lauds (Morning Prayer)

Terce (Mid-Morning Prayer)

Sext (Midday Prayer)

None (Afternoon Prayer)

Vespers (Evening Prayer)

Compline (Night Prayer)

Available local calendars