# Ascension: Catholic Bible — Mass Readings, Rosary, Saints > Catholic Bible study, prayer, and learning app with guided content. (iPhone/iPad app by Ascension Publishing Group, LLC.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ascension-catholic-bible/id1660909501 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Ascension Publishing Group, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1655618341) - Category: Reference, Books - Price: Free with in-app purchases - Rating: 4.90/5 from 89,515 App Store ratings · 574 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 15.1 · 194 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2023-06-25 - Data updated: 2026-08-28 - Monetization: free with in-app purchases - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ascension-catholic-bible/id1660909501/reviews.md ## What is Ascension? ** The #1 Catholic Bible App** Designed to help Catholics read and understand the Bible, learn the teachings and tradition of the Catholic Church, and grow to live the life God is calling them to more fully. Featuring the most popular Catholic Bible in America, the Great Adventure Catholic Bible, with the one-of-a-kind Bible Timeline® learning system that has helped hundreds of thousands of Catholics finally read AND understand God’s Word. TOP FEATURES THE HOLY ROSARY Pray the Rosary with Fr. Mike Schmitz, Fr. Mark-Mary Ames, Jeff Cavins, the Sisters of Life, and Paul Rose with recordings of the Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful, and Glorious mysteries in the Ascension app. Pray in English or Latin, with options to chant the prayers. DAILY MASS READINGS + REFLECTIONS Read the official Daily Mass readings and watch reflections from trusted Catholic presenters who dive deeper to unpack the readings each day. Pray also with guided lectio divina prompts directly in the app. THE GREAT ADVENTURE CATHOLIC BIBLE Read the full-text of the Great Adventure Catholic Bible, listen on audio with recordings from Fr. Mike Schmitz, get answers to 1000+ most-asked questions about the Bible, and dive deeper into each book and verse with the Bible Timeline® learning system and the Bible Guide. PREP FOR SUNDAY MASS Watch or listen to recordings of Fr. Mike Schmitz’s homilies and watch Encountering the Word where Bible scholar Jeff Cavins provides historical, Biblical, and spiritual context to the readings at Sunday Mass. “IN A YEAR” PODCASTS Get the best experience of the Bible in a Year, Catechism in a Year, and Rosary in a Year podcasts, with additional content, prayer aides, transcripts, answered questions, linked references and Bible verses, and more! STUDY PLANS Browse from 80+ study plans taught by leading Catholic presenters, including Fr. Mike Schmitz, Jeff Cavins, Dr. Edward Sri, Sarah Christmeyer, Jackie Francois Angel, and many others. Study plans are a companion to help you understand the Bible better, learn more about Catholic teaching, and strengthen you to more fully live the life God is calling you to. SAINT OF THE DAY Read daily reflections on the lives of the saints, following the memorials and feast days on the liturgical calendar. CATHOLIC PRAYERS Discover novenas, litanies, guided lectio divina and visio divina experiences, and more! SUBSCRIPTION PRICING AND TERMS All users can access the full text of the Bible, the full text of the Catechism, Daily Mass readings and reflections of the day, the full Rosary with all recorded voices, and most Ascension podcasts in the app for free. To access all content and programs in the Ascension App, Ascension offers two auto-renewing subscription options: $8.99 per month $59.99 per year (Please note these prices are for users in the USA) Your Ascension subscription will renew automatically unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can go to your Apple account settings to manage your subscription and turn off auto-renew. Your account will be charged when the purchase is confirmed. Please contact us at support@ascensionpress.com if you have any issues or questions. Privacy policy: 'https://ascensionpress.com/pages/app-privacy-policy' Terms and conditions: 'https://ascensionpress.com/pages/terms-and-conditions' ## Key features - Bible Timeline learning system - Guided Rosary prayers - Daily Mass readings and reflections - Audio Bible with commentary - 80+ Catholic study plans - Saint of the Day reflections - Catholic prayers and novenas ## Pricing and in-app purchases Base price: Free. **Subscriptions** | Subscription | Price | Period | | --- | --- | --- | | Full Access Monthly | $8.99 | per month | | Full Access Annual | $59.99 | per year | | Full Access Annual | $59.99 | per year | | Full Access Annual | $59.99 | per year | | Full Access Monthly | $8.99 | per month | | Full Access Annual | $59.99 | per year | | Full Access Annual | $59.99 | per year | | Full Access Annual | $59.99 | per year | | Full Access Annual | $59.99 | per year | | Full Access Annual | $59.99 | per year | | Full Access Annual | $59.99 | per year | ## Chart rankings - #101 in Top Free · Reference (US App Store) - #20 in Top Grossing · Reference (US App Store) ## What do users think of Ascension? Overall sentiment: positive **Pros** - 🙏 Deepening faith and drawing closer to God - 👍 Convenient and easy to use - 📚 Comprehensive Bible and Catechism resources - 🎧 Excellent podcast experience with Fr. Mike - 🤗 Transformative and life-changing - 🌟 Outstanding and invaluable tool - 🙌 Incredible gift to the world - 🎨 Gorgeous app design and layout **Cons** - 💰 Paid subscription model after initial free period - 🔍 Lack of dictionary/glossary for unfamiliar terms - 🔙 Removal of 15-second forward/backward buttons **Commonly reported bugs** - Sync issues between audio and text - Inconsistent behavior with continuous reading mode **Most requested features** - Dark mode option - Ability to track progress across multiple devices - Daily Mass readings integration - Verse of the day widgets - iPad-optimized version - Spanish language support ## Recent user reviews (10 of 574) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ascension-catholic-bible/id1660909501/reviews.md ### 3/5 — Video issues. Great content. *2026-08-10* Content is stellar. However for a paid subscription and an app at this level of development, the way videos play really needs to be fixed. It doesn’t tap into iOS controls. Meaning it won’t do Picture in Picture if you need to navigate away for a minute. Worse, the play/ pause can’t be triggered with an AirPod or similar. Meaning if I’m watching a video with Fr. Columba and I pause the video with an AirPod (this does work, interestingly) and then restart the video with the AirPod, Fr Columba sounds an awful lot like Jimi Hendrix or Fr. Mike depending on if I was last in my Music or Podcast app—- Even when Fr. Columba is still on screen. This is the only video app I’ve encountered that does this. Further (update to review)- I have to force close the app between most videos, videos stop and won’t start again for no apparent reason, and if you watch a few seconds of a video, it shows up with a check mark as entirely played. I’m using the newest pro iPhone with fully up to date iOS. Please fix! ### 5/5 — Ascension Catholic Bible *2026-08-07, version 1.15.20* Definitely recommend this app 100% I love it. Easy to use and has many options to do different things. Love the Bible in a year and the way it’s explained. So worth getting it. ### 4/5 — Video issues. Great content. *2026-08-02, version 1.15.20* Content is stellar. However for a paid subscription and an app at this level of development, the way videos play really needs to be fixed. It doesn’t tap into iOS controls. Meaning it won’t do Picture in Picture if you need to navigate away for a minute. Worse, the play/ pause can’t be triggered with an AirPod or similar. Meaning if I’m watching a video with Fr. Columba and I pause the video with an AirPod (this does work, interestingly) and then restart the video with the AirPod, Fr Columba sounds an awful lot like Jimi Hendrix or Fr. Mike depending on if I was last in my Music or Podcast app—- Even when Fr. Columba is still on screen. This is the only video app I’ve encountered that does this. Please fix! ### 5/5 — Best Hidden Rosaries *2026-07-30, version 1.15.20* Great app but the do really stupid things with it sometimes. Like now evidently requiring a decoder ring to find rosaries ### 5/5 — The Best *2026-07-29, version 1.15.20* The Bible in a Year and Father Mike have really brought goodness into my life. Thank you! ### 5/5 — Great for lots of reasons *2026-07-29, version 1.15.20* I enjoy this app because it has the daily readings, Bible in a Year, Catechism in a year and several religious books. And the app is free! I do donate each month because I know it’s not free to produce, but I can can make that donation according to my means. Also there are courses we have used in our church group for discussion. It’s a great app! ### 5/5 — On the path *2026-07-26, version 1.15.20* I use this app everyday. It helps me stay focused on the things that really matter, God, family, integrity, and my fellow human beings. ### 2/5 — It was good for a couple years *2026-07-23, version 1.15.20* The app is not worth it. My BIAY was coming up now all of a sudden it’s a big hassle to find the right day. I will not renew. Use the free versions they work better. ### 5/5 — LOVE this App *2026-07-23, version 1.15.20* This app offers a wide selection of biblical topics. I’m going through the Bible in a Year for the second time and also have a deeper understanding of the Mass and Rosary. The studies of individual Bible books are also excellent. Highly recommended! ### 3/5 — Most recent update. *2026-07-22, version 1.15.20* not a fan of the new update.. with regards to the home screen.. i miss the boxes where one can check off the readings for the day… the thumbnails are dry… should have kept it how it was.. also the limited settings is frustrating… doesn’t show what translation one is reading from only in the daily readings does it show. ## Frequently asked questions about Ascension ### What does the Ascension: Catholic Bible app do? The app is designed to help Catholics read and understand the Bible, learn about Catholic teachings and tradition, and grow in their faith. It provides tools like the Bible Timeline learning system, guided prayers, daily readings, and study plans. ### What are the key features of the Ascension: Catholic Bible app? Key features include the Great Adventure Catholic Bible with the Bible Timeline learning system, guided Rosary prayers in English and Latin, daily Mass readings with reflections, audio versions of the Bible, over 80 study plans, Saint of the Day reflections, and various Catholic prayers. ### Is the Ascension: Catholic Bible app free to use? The app offers free access to the full text of the Bible and the Catechism. However, some premium content, such as daily video reflections for challenges and advanced features, may require a subscription or in-app purchase. ### What kind of content is available for Bible study? The app features the Great Adventure Catholic Bible with the unique Bible Timeline learning system, which provides historical and spiritual context. It also offers over 80 study plans taught by Catholic presenters, daily Mass readings with reflections, and guided lectio divina prompts. ### Can I pray the Rosary with this app? Yes, the app provides guided recordings of the Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful, and Glorious mysteries of the Rosary, led by prominent Catholic figures. You can pray in English or Latin, with options to chant the prayers. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 1.15.21 — 2026-08-13 Improved subscription updates: Subscription offerings now update immediately when you join an organization. ### 1.15.20 — 2026-07-20 - Redesigned Home screen and Calendar - Organization membership: search for your parish or school and join as a member - Various fixes and improvements to Podcasts, Explore, subscription management and more ### 1.15.19 — 2026-05-31 Support for external links in Study Plans; minor improvements. ### 1.15.18 — 2026-05-18 Introducing Slides — a richer way to experience content, blending audio, video, readings, and references with ambient background music. Keep an eye out, the first Slides will appear in the app soon. ### 1.15.17 — 2026-04-30 Refreshed tab bar icons; updated study plan sequence labels and multiple featured items; faster video loading; bug fixes and performance improvements. ## Apps similar to Ascension | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Bible](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bible/id282935706) | 4.9 (13,658,148) | Free | Reference | | [#Bible - Verse of the Day](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bible-verse-of-the-day/id1255711035) | 4.9 (385,296) | Free | Reference | | [Abide: Bible Prayer Meditation](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/abide-bible-prayer-meditation/id726031617) | 4.9 (121,684) | Free | Reference | | [Hallow: Prayer & Meditation](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hallow-prayer-and-meditation/id1405323394) | 4.9 (374,401) | Free | Reference | | [Bible-Faith Prayer & KJV Audio](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bible-faith-prayer-and-kjv-audio/id6450370800) | 4.8 (7,780) | Free | Reference | | [Verbum Catholic Bible Study](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/verbum-catholic-bible-study/id571019685) | 4.8 (3,907) | Free | Reference | ## Related topics [catholic](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/catholic) · [catholic bible](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/catholic-bible) · [christusgemeente antwerpen](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/christusgemeente-antwerpen) · [ascension](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/ascension) · [ascension press](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/ascension-press) · [father mike schmitz](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/father-mike-schmitz) · [the ascension app](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/the-ascension-app) · [catechism in a year](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/catechism-in-a-year) · [ascension press app](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/ascension-press-app) · [ascension press bible in a year](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/ascension-press-bible-in-a-year) · [nrsv catholic bible](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/nrsv-catholic-bible) · [catholic bible app](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/catholic-bible-app) · [usccb bible](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/usccb-bible) · [catholic catechism](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/catholic-catechism) · [the catholic bible app free](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/the-catholic-bible-app-free) · [resurrection catholic sch ms](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/resurrection-catholic-sch-ms) · [catholic saints list offline](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/catholic-saints-list-offline) · [catholic study bible](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/catholic-study-bible) · [ignatius study bible](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/ignatius-study-bible) · [ascension one](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/ascension-one) --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-28.*