Universalis

Creating QR codes

Current calendar: Australia - Bunbury.

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 “Australia - Bunbury”. 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