Expanding Digital Giving to a Mobile-First Generation

MyMassRequest Mobile App

The Challenge

Following the successful launch of the new Seraphic Mass Association website, Lava and SMA identified a new opportunity to reach a younger, mobile-first Catholic audience while continuing to serve their long-time donors.

While the website delivered a streamlined desktop and mobile experience, SMA recognized that many younger Catholics prefer to engage through dedicated mobile apps. The goal was to create an intuitive, purpose-built platform that made requesting a Mass and sending digital cards feel simple, personal, and immediate.

This was not a redesign of the website. It was a strategic expansion of SMA’s digital ecosystem to support generational growth while integrating fully with the existing backend systems.

The Solution

Lava designed and developed MyMassRequest, a native iOS and Android app built as a seamless extension of SMA’s existing Mass request and fulfillment system.

The app includes:

A step-by-step Mass request flow optimized for mobile interaction
Secure login with biometric support, including Face ID/Touch ID
Intuitive card browsing and selection with visual previews
Verse selection and personalized message entry
Real-time cart management and order review
Integrated donation and payment processing
Full synchronization with SMA’s backend fulfillment and reporting systems so submitted Mass requests, selected cards, donor details, and orders remain consistent across mobile and web.
Privacy and security practices aligned with App Store and Google Play requirements

Every action inside the app connects directly to the same infrastructure powering the SMA website. Orders, donor records, and fulfillment data remain centralized, ensuring operational consistency and reliability.

“Throughout the process Tom, Dave and Ed approached every challenge positively and constructively. The unique visual features of the site required imaginative technical solutions which exceeded our expectations. Integrating the site with a complex accounting and fulfillment system required thoroughness and persistence. All of our goals were achieved. The site results speak for themselves and our ongoing relationship remains productive and rewarding.”

Fr. John Pfannenstiel, OFM Cap.

Director

The Outcome

What Made It Complex

Translating a high-volume, rule-driven Mass request system into a native mobile experience required careful architectural planning.

The app needed to replicate dynamic product logic, fulfillment rules, scheduling constraints, and donation processing without duplicating systems or introducing data risk.

Every screen, from login to card preview, had to balance simplicity for users with strict backend requirements. The result is a tightly integrated mobile extension of a sophisticated digital giving platform.