The Catholic Morning Show

Alto: Ascension's Distraction-Free Daily Prayer Companion (November Preview) – Hadleigh Thomas – 10/28/2026

Episode Summary

Hadleigh Thomas of Ascension joins Deacon Mark Campbell to preview the November issue of Alto, the monthly Catholic prayer companion that puts the daily Mass readings, Morning and Night Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours, and daily reflections in one printed book. She shares why Ascension created a screen-free, ribbon-free way to pray and how Alto serves busy individuals and young families alike. November's issue focuses on the Last Things and includes a Christ the King novena, a monthly Bible study, and liturgical living ideas for the feast days.

Episode Notes

Promo Code: ICR10 

https://ascensionpress.com/pages/content-hub/alto

Struggling to build a daily prayer habit? Hadleigh Thomas, product manager on Ascension's app and communications team and a key leader in Alto's development, joins Deacon Mark Campbell to explain how Alto makes daily prayer simple: just open it and pray.

Highlights:

• Why a printed book? Phones pull us toward distraction. Alto offers a single, screen-free place for prayer with no flipping between sections and no ribbons to set.
• What's in every day: the daily Mass readings in full, Morning and Night Prayer from the official Liturgy of the Hours, a daily reflection on the readings or feast (from voices like Fr. Mike Schmitz, the saints, and Catholic authors), and a saint of the day.
• What's in every month: a novena tied to a feast that month, a short Bible study adapted from Ascension's studies, essays on a monthly theme, the Order of Mass, and liturgical living ideas from Kendra Tierney Norton for three feast days, including prayers, activities, and recipes.
• The November issue: the theme is the Last Things (death, judgment, heaven, and hell), with the Christ the King novena built right into the daily pages leading up to the Solemnity of Christ the King.
• Coming in December: adapted reflections from Fr. Mike Schmitz's Advent program, Joy to the World.
• Built with real users: months of development plus beta testing, with ongoing improvements every month.
• For every state of life: whether you're praying alone or with your kids before bed, the prayers are laid out and ready to go.

Learn more and subscribe to Alto (U.S. only; new subscriptions take 4–8 weeks to arrive): https://ascensionpress.com/pages/content-hub/alto

Bulk options for parishes, schools, and ministries: https://ascensionpress.com/pages/content-hub/alto-for-parishes-and-organizations

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