WebCitz started working with this client in 2021
- Client: Companions of St Luke OSB
- Platform: Other
- Industry: Non Profit / Religious
- Services: Maintenance / Support, Web Hosting
The Challenge
In 2021, Benedictine Prayers faced a critical infrastructure crisis. The original architect of their specialized prayer framework – a complex hybrid of JSP (JavaServer Pages) and a custom PHP subdomain – had retired. The church struggled to find a technical partner willing to touch such a unique legacy setup, leaving their digital ministry in a precarious position. They needed more than just a developer; they needed a partner willing to adopt an inherited codebase and chart a path toward a modern, sustainable future.
The WebCitz Solution
When the church reached out to WebCitz, Corey stepped in to provide the continuity they were missing. Since 2021, we have moved from emergency maintenance into a comprehensive modernization phase:
- Legacy System Rescue & Stewardship: We successfully took over the complex environment, stabilizing the connections between the JSP core and the PHP prayer engine. This ensured that clergy and parishioners experienced no interruption in their daily liturgical cycles.
- Full-Stack Refactoring (JSP to PHP): To ensure long-term stability and performance, we are currently in the process of refactoring the entire JSP codebase into PHP. This unification will allow the entire environment to be moved to WebCitz’s dedicated server network, providing the church with a faster, more secure, and more manageable infrastructure.
- Liturgical PHP Engineering: We maintain the sophisticated framework that delivers the Liturgy of the Hours. The system manages a custom Benedictine psalm structure and automatically serves content for Matins, Mid-day Prayer, Vespers, and Compline based on real-time liturgical logic.
- Mobile-First Frontend Redesign: Recognizing that many users access prayers on tablets and smartphones during services, we are currently redoing the frontend design. This modernization focuses on a responsive, mobile-friendly interface that prioritizes readability and ease of navigation in a live church environment.
- Dynamic Calendar Features: We manage the “Saint of the Day” and “God’s Healing Waters” features, using complex calendar logic to ensure the correct readings and prayers are served every day of the year.
The Result
The partnership with WebCitz has moved Benedictine Prayers from a “rough spot” of technical uncertainty to a position of digital strength. By refactoring the legacy code and redesigning the user experience for modern devices, WebCitz is ensuring that this vital spiritual resource remains accessible and reliable for decades to come. This project exemplifies our commitment to “rescue” missions – taking on the challenges others avoid and transforming aging systems into cutting-edge platforms.
