Documentation

Frequently Asked Questions

Getting Started

What is Outward Sign?

Outward Sign is a free, open-source sacrament and sacramental management tool designed specifically for Catholic parishes. It helps parish staff plan, communicate, and celebrate the sacraments that are at the heart of Catholic parish life.

Is Outward Sign really free?

Yes! Outward Sign is a free tool. There are no subscription fees, no hidden costs, and no credit card required. It's built for the Catholic community by the Catholic community.

Do I need technical knowledge to use Outward Sign?

No technical knowledge is required. Outward Sign is designed to be intuitive and easy to use for parish staff, priests, deacons, and administrative personnel.

How do I get started?

1. Create a free account at outwardsign.church

2. Set up your parish information

3. Invite your team members

4. Start creating your first event

The entire process takes about 30 minutes from signup to your first printed liturgical script.

Account & Parish Setup

Can multiple people access our parish account?

Yes! You can invite as many staff members as needed. Each user gets their own login and can collaborate on events, liturgies, and preparation.

What are the different user roles?

  • Admin - Manages parish settings, billing, and user permissions
  • Staff - Creates and manages events, liturgies, and prints scripts (most parish workers)
  • Parishioner - View-only access to events they're invited to (families)

Can I use Outward Sign for multiple parishes?

Yes! If you work at multiple parishes, you can be a member of each parish's account and switch between them easily.

How do I invite staff members?

From the Settings page, click "Invite Staff", enter their email address, select their role, and send the invitation. They'll receive an email with instructions to join.

Features & Functionality

What sacraments and sacramentals can I manage?

Currently supported:

  • Weddings (Matrimony)
  • Funerals (Christian Burial)
  • Baptisms
  • Quinceañeras
  • Presentations (Latino tradition)
  • Mass Planning and Intentions

Coming soon: Confirmations, First Communion, and Anointing of the Sick.

Can I print the liturgical scripts?

Yes! Every event can be exported to PDF or Word format. The scripts are professionally formatted and ready to print for the presider to use during the celebration.

Does it support bilingual liturgies?

Yes! Outward Sign fully supports both English and Spanish. You can:

  • Create events in either language
  • Generate bilingual scripts
  • Use language-specific petition and reading templates

Can I customize the liturgical content?

Yes! You can:

  • Choose from pre-loaded readings from the Lectionary
  • Write or edit petitions (Prayer of the Faithful)
  • Add custom notes for the presider
  • Customize ceremony scripts

How does the calendar work?

The calendar displays all your parish's sacramental events in one view. You can:

  • See all upcoming celebrations at a glance
  • Filter by event type (weddings, baptisms, etc.)
  • Export to .ics format for Google Calendar, Outlook, etc.
  • View events by day, week, or month

Liturgical Content

Where do the readings come from?

Our reading database includes selections from the Roman Catholic Lectionary. For weddings, funerals, and other celebrations, you can choose from approved readings for that celebration type.

Can I add my own readings?

Yes! While we provide a comprehensive reading database, you can also add custom readings or special selections with proper citations.

How do I create petitions?

You can:

1. Use our pre-built petition templates (in English and Spanish)

2. Customize existing templates

3. Write completely custom petitions from scratch

Each approach allows you to create meaningful, contextual Prayer of the Faithful for every celebration.

Are the liturgical texts approved?

The readings are from the approved Roman Catholic Lectionary. Petition templates are based on common Catholic practice. However, all liturgical content should be reviewed by your pastor or liturgy director before use.

Technical Questions

What devices can I use?

Outward Sign works on:

  • Desktop computers (Windows, Mac, Linux)
  • Tablets (iPad, Android tablets)
  • Smartphones (iPhone, Android phones)

All you need is a modern web browser and internet connection.

Is my data secure?

Yes! Your parish data is:

  • Encrypted in transit and at rest
  • Backed up regularly
  • Stored securely on enterprise-grade servers
  • Never shared with third parties

Can I export my data?

Yes! You can export:

  • Individual event scripts (PDF, Word)
  • Calendar events (.ics format)
  • People directory (CSV)

We believe your data is yours and should always be accessible.

What if I lose internet connection?

Outward Sign requires an internet connection to access and save data. However, once you've exported a PDF or Word document, you can print and use it offline.

Printing & Exports

What format are the printed scripts?

Scripts are generated as professionally formatted documents with:

  • Proper liturgical formatting
  • Clear typography designed for reading aloud
  • All readings, responses, and prayers included
  • Minister assignments and cues

Can I edit the exported Word documents?

Yes! When you export to Word format (.docx), you can open the file in Microsoft Word or Google Docs and make any customizations needed.

How should I organize printed scripts?

We recommend:

1. Print scripts 24-48 hours before the celebration

2. Place in a three-ring binder

3. Leave in the sacristy for the presider to pick up

4. Include any additional notes or special instructions

This ensures the priest or deacon has everything needed for a well-prepared celebration.

Support & Help

I'm having trouble with something. Where can I get help?

1. Check this documentation for guides and tutorials

2. Contact your parish administrator if you're a staff member

3. Open an issue on our GitHub page

4. Email support (coming soon)

How do I report a bug?

Please report bugs on our GitHub Issues page. Include:

  • What you were trying to do
  • What happened instead
  • Screenshots if helpful

Can I request new features?

Absolutely! We love hearing from parishes about what would make Outward Sign more useful. Submit feature requests on our GitHub page or contact us directly.

Is there a user community?

Yes! Connect with other parishes using Outward Sign:

  • GitHub Discussions (coming soon)
  • Parish user group (coming soon)

Pricing & Licensing

Why is Outward Sign free?

We believe every Catholic parish deserves access to excellent sacrament preparation tools, regardless of budget. Outward Sign is built by Catholics for the Catholic community.

What does "open source" mean?

Open source means:

  • The source code is publicly available
  • Anyone can review how it works
  • The community can contribute improvements
  • You can self-host if desired (advanced users)

Can I donate to support the project?

Not at this time, but we appreciate your support! The best way to help is:

  • Tell other parishes about Outward Sign
  • Provide feedback and feature requests
  • Contribute to the code (if you're a developer)

Who maintains Outward Sign?

Outward Sign is a collaborative effort between CatholicOS and Lolek Productions, maintained by Catholic developers and parish staff who understand the importance of beautiful, well-prepared sacramental celebrations.

Best Practices

When should I print scripts?

We recommend printing scripts 24-48 hours before the celebration. This gives you time to review them and ensures nothing is forgotten at the last minute.

How do I ensure good liturgical preparation?

1. Start early - Begin planning weeks in advance

2. Collaborate - Work with families, musicians, and ministers

3. Review - Have the presider review the script before printing

4. Communicate - Share details with all participants

5. Prepare - Have everything printed and in the sacristy the day before

How can I train my staff?

1. Start with this documentation

2. Create a test event together

3. Walk through the print/export process

4. Practice with a real upcoming celebration

5. Refer back to the user guides as needed

What's the best workflow for a wedding?

1. Initial Contact - Create the wedding record with basic info

2. Planning Meetings - Add bride, groom, witnesses, and event details

3. Liturgy Planning - Select readings, add petitions, assign ministers

4. Review - Share draft with couple and presider

5. Finalize - Make any last adjustments

6. Print - Export and print 2 days before the wedding

7. Celebrate - Everything is ready for a beautiful celebration!

---

Still have questions? Contact your parish administrator or visit our GitHub page for more help.