Privacy policy

Who this applies to

This policy covers Melachora on the web (melachora.app and related domains) and the Melachora mobile app when you create an account, sign in, or use features that sync with our servers. Public pages you browse without an account receive only the cookies and logs needed to deliver the site securely.

Melachora is a prayer companion, not a social network. We do not sell your personal information, and we do not use your prayer content to build advertising profiles.

Information we collect

Account information. When you register, we collect the name you provide (used to greet you on your dashboard), your email address, and a password stored only in hashed form on our servers. Clergy and parish accounts may include additional details you submit during verification (for example diocese or parish name).

Prayer and journey data. If you are signed in, we store the content you choose to save: goals and check-ins, pilgrimage progress, library bookmarks, catechist chat history, patron saint selections, and similar items needed to restore your dashboard on any device.

Community features. Public prayer intentions are stored without displaying your identity to other pilgrims. Prayer-partner matching does not share names, locations, or contact details between participants. Family circle membership, shared intentions, and privacy toggles you set are stored so your circle works as you configure it.

Content you create. Questions for a priest, parish desk submissions, shop or mission demo purchases, and bookstore entitlements are stored to provide those services. Do not include sacramental matter or information you would only share in Confession; Melachora is not a substitute for pastoral care in person.

Technical data. Our hosts and application logs may record IP address, browser or app version, and timestamps for security, abuse prevention, and debugging. Authentication uses HTTP-only cookies on the web and secure storage on mobile so session tokens are not exposed to page scripts.

Notifications. If you enable browser or device notifications, we store the subscription data required to send gentle reminders (for example prayer prompts). You can disable notifications in your browser or device settings at any time.

How we use information

• Provide and sync your account, dashboard, and saved prayer activity across web and mobile.
• Operate anonymous intentions, prayer partners, family circles, and clergy tools you opt into.
• Send transactional messages (such as password reset) and optional reminders you allow.
• Protect the service, investigate misuse, and comply with applicable law.
• Improve reliability and fix errors using aggregated or de-identified usage patterns where possible.

What we do not do

We do not sell or rent your personal information. We do not publish your name next to intentions or Rosary offerings. We do not require you to connect Melachora to public social profiles to pray. We do not use your prayer text to train third-party advertising models.

Sharing with others

We use infrastructure providers (for example cloud hosting and email delivery) that process data on our behalf under contractual obligations to protect it. Clergy with approved accounts may see pilgrim questions you submit through Ask a priest; those flows are designed for pastoral response, not public display. Parish listings you choose to publish appear as the information your parish administrators enter.

We may disclose information if required by law, to protect the safety of users, or to enforce our terms against abuse.

Cookies and local storage

Signed-in sessions on the web rely on HTTP-only cookies for access and refresh tokens. Theme preference (light or dark mode) may be stored locally in your browser. The mobile app uses secure storage for tokens and may cache readings or images for offline use. You can sign out to clear server-linked session cookies on the web; uninstalling the app removes local app data from your device.

Retention and deletion

We keep account and prayer data while your account is active so you can return to your journey. If you ask us to delete your account, we will remove or anonymize personal data associated with it, except where we must retain limited records for legal, security, or backup purposes for a short period.

To request access, correction, or deletion, contact us at privacy@melachora.app. We will verify your request using the email on your account where reasonable.

Children

Melachora is intended for personal prayer under the guidance of parents or guardians where local law treats minors' online consent differently. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 without appropriate consent. If you believe a child has provided us personal data without consent, contact us and we will take steps to delete it.

International users

Our servers may be located outside your country. By using Melachora you understand that your information may be processed in jurisdictions with different data-protection rules. We apply the practices described here regardless of where you live.

Changes

We may update this policy when features or legal requirements change. We will post the new version on this page and update the effective date above. Continued use after changes means you accept the revised policy.