A Daily Personal Prayer Journal

(The Daily Personal Prayer Journal is a gathering of quotations from various sources, each of which might lead you to a quiet moment of prayer, of a sharing of love between you and God. Choose one and then use it as a springboard into prayer.)

July 18, 2026

Memorial of St. Camillus de Lellis

O God, who adorned the Priest St. Camillus with a singular grace of charity towards the sick, pour out upon us, by his merits, a spirit of love for You, so that, serving You in our neighbor, we may, at the hour of our death, pass safely over to You. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever. Amen.

Daily Thought from the Saints

"The Creator of the universe awaits the prayer of one poor little person to save a multitude of others, redeemed like her at the price of His Blood."

— St. Therese of Lisieux

Daily Scripture Verse

"Be strong and of good courage, do not fear or be in dread of them: for it is the Lord your God who goes with you; he will not fail you or forsake you."

Deuteronomy 31:6

Daily Meditation

"Although our Divine Redeemer was the Lord and Master of all the riches of Heaven and earth, He willed nevertheless to become poor in this world that through His example we might become rich. He wished to induce us to love poverty as He did, for poverty, by detaching us from earthly riches, enables us to share in the treasures of Heaven. ... [It is] the teaching of our Blessed Lord that the poor in spirit shall have a great and certain reward. Their reward is certain, for when our Savior enumerated the Beatitudes in the Gospel, He referred in most instances to the future ... but to the poor in spirit, He promises happiness even in this life: 'Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.' (Matt. 5:3). While here on earth, they receive special graces. The reward of the poor in spirit is, secondly, very great. 'The less we have here,' says St. Teresa, 'the greater will be our joy in Heaven, where our dwelling shall correspond to the love with which we imitated the life of poverty of our Divine Master here on earth'. The truly poor in spirit enjoy a heavenly peace even here in this world. ... [He] who is poor from choice despises the possessions of this earth and is at the same time the master of all."

— St. Alphonsus Liguori

Day by Day with Mary, the Mother of God

Just as the Father gave us the great gift of his Son to be our Redeemer, so also the Son gave us the great gift of his Blessed Mother to be our advocate. When he said to John in the hour of the cross, “Behold your Mother!” He said it to him, representing all Christians.

—St. John of Avila

A Prayer from Notre Dame University

Rev. Mike Palmer, C.S.C.

Merciful Father, you sent your Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with the fire of your grace and mercy. Help us to nurture a spirit of charity and forgiveness towards those who have trespassed against us. May we always find in you the courage and humility to raise up—and not condemn—our fellow sinners as we strive to follow the example of your Son. Amen.

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("Thoughts from the Saints," Scripture Verse of the Day," and "Daily Meditation" are all taken from "Your Morning Offering" by The Catholic Company. "Daily Catholic Wisdom" is taken from CatholicWisdom.org.  The prayer comes from The University of Notre Dame's daily Gospel commentary. "

Father Lawrence Jagdfeld, O.F.M.

A Franciscan Friar and Roman Catholic priest ordained in 1975, Fr. Lawrence has experience as a high school teacher (1970-1974, 1975-1979, 1986-1992), an itinerant preacher (1996-1999), an editor, and administrator. He has served as Executive Secretary (Secretary of the Province) for the Franciscans of the Sacred Heart Province, headquartered in St. Louis, MO (1979-1984), Associate Novice Master (1984-1986), Post-Novitiate Formation (1986-1987), President of the Board of Directors of Mayslake Village, Oak Brook, Illinois (1987-1989), Associate Business Manager of St. Peter's Church, Chicago, IL (1992-1996) and Master of Postulants (1999-2004). From 2007 to 2021, he served as administrator of CUSA - an apostolate of persons with chronic illness and/or disability. 

Fr. Lawrence also has extensive experience as an editor and proof reader. After 20+ years of teaching English in a high school classroom, he has turned his language skills in the direction of publishing and editing. 

Fr. Lawrence also has more than forty years experience of teaching English as a second language to natives of Korea, Mexico, Brazil, Portugal, Austria, Vietnam, and Italy.

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