Lourdes was at the very centre of nineteenth century debates on religion, science and medicine. Both the Church and secularists championed the 'miracle' town as crucial in shaping how society should think about the mind, body and spirit. Since the ‘visions’ of Bernadette Soubirous in 1858 transformed the quiet Pyrenean town into an international tourist and pilgrimage destination, it has been a site for controversy. In her well-crafted and carefully researched book, Harris deftly places Lourdes and its attendant spiritual movement firmly at the centre of French history and shows its significance in the country’s development.

"Lourdes" by Robert Hugh Benson is a thought-provoking and spiritual novel that explores themes of faith, miracles, and the transformative power of religious experiences. Published in 1914, the book is set against the backdrop of the famous Marian apparitions in Lourdes, France. Benson's narrative centers around the character of Percy Franklin, a skeptical agnostic who accompanies his devout Catholic sister on a pilgrimage to Lourdes. The novel unfolds as Franklin encounters the mysterious and miraculous events surrounding Bernadette Soubirous, the young girl who claimed to witness apparitions of the Virgin Mary in Lourdes. As the story progresses, Franklin's journey becomes a spiritual odyssey, questioning his own beliefs and grappling with the profound impact of the supernatural occurrences in Lourdes. Benson skillfully weaves together theological reflections, psychological insights, and the dynamics of faith and doubt. "Lourdes" is a compelling work for readers interested in religious fiction, spiritual exploration, and the intersection of faith and reason. It provides a nuanced exploration of the complexities surrounding religious experiences and the potential transformation that can occur when faced with the inexplicable. Immerse yourself in the pages of "Lourdes" as Robert Hugh Benson takes you on a contemplative journey, inviting you to ponder the mysteries of faith and the enduring power of belief.

Filmmaker Lourdes Portillo sees her mission as "channeling the hopes and dreams of a people." Clearly, political commitment has inspired her choice of subjects. With themes ranging from state repression to AIDS, Portillo's films include: Después del Terremoto, the Oscar-nominated Las Madres: The Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo,La Ofrenda: The Days of the Dead,The Devil Never Sleeps, and Corpus: A Home Movie for Selena. The first study of Portillo and her films, this collection is collaborative and multifaceted in approach, emphasizing aspects of authorial creativity, audience reception, and production processes typically hidden from view. Rosa Linda Fregoso, the volume editor, has organized the book into three parts: interviews (by Fregoso and Kathleen Newman and B. Ruby Rich); critical perspectives (essays by Fregoso, Yvonne Yarbro-Bejarano, Sylvie Thouard, Norma Iglesias, and Barbara McBane); and production materials (screenplays, script notes, storyboards, etc.). This innovative collection provides "inside" information on the challenges of making independent films. By describing the production constraints Portillo has surmounted, Fregoso deepens our appreciation of this gifted filmmaker's life, her struggles, and the evolution of her art.

This book presents major texts by Prof. Dr. Lourdes Arizpe Schlosser, a pioneering Mexican anthropologist, on the occasion of her 70th birthday. She is a leading researcher into indigenous peoples, an innovator in women’s studies and a global scientific leader who has inspired the international research and policy communities. Throughout her distinguished career she has analysed ethnicism and indigenous peoples, women in migratory flows, cultural and social sustainability and intangible cultural heritage as social capital, placing these issues on the world agenda for research and policy. Several of the 12 major texts in this volume have been published since 1972 in the US, Europe, Latin America and India; some were first published in Spanish and are available in English for the first time. This anthology also includes recent unpublished texts on culture, development and international cultural policy delivered at high-level international meetings.

Bernadette, a poor uneducated girl from Lourdes claimed to have seen apparitions at a rock face in 1858. On 25th February, she said that the lady had asked her to scratch at the ground, and soon a spring appeared there and within days there were reports of healings at the grotto. After a lengthy investigation, the Church pronounced that the faithful were justified in believing that Our Lady had indeed appeared at Lourdes. The medical team that investigated the cures stated that the phenomena they'd observed were 'beyond the comprehension of the human mind' and when Bernadette's remains were exhumed 46 years after her death, her body was still undecayed, prompting the physician to declare that this was not a natural phenomenon. To date, 70 miracles have been verified and over 200 million people have visited the site. This book describes the life of Bernadette, but it also outlines the colourful events in the rich history of the time in which she lived, and it shows just how much synergy there is with Fatima.

"A charming and touching story that reminds us, with St. Bernadette, that grace is everywhere." —Robert Ellsberg, author, Blessed Among All Women The shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in southern France appeals to Catholics as few other places do. The famous grotto is a place of healing that attracts some six million pilgrims to Lourdes each year. One of these recent pilgrims was James Martin, an American Jesuit. Fr. Martin went to Lourdes to serve as chaplain for a group of pilgrims sponsored by the Order of Malta, an international Catholic association devoted to charitable works. During his stay, Martin kept an illuminating diary of his trip. His touching and humorous account of the busy and gratifying days that he spent at Lourdes is a vivid description of a place filled with a powerful spiritual presence. "Lourdes is now one of those places where I have met God in a special way," Martin writes. Through this diary, we are able to share in his journey and feel the presence of God that he encountered there.

This pocket guide combines a mix of practical information, history, devotional commentary, prayers and readings for pilgrims to Lourdes today. Universally known throughout the Catholic world, many hundreds of pilgrimage groups visit Lourdes each year from Britain and Ireland. It also includes a detailed A-Z guide to places and events, the engaging story of Bernadette, and other places of interest nearby for extra days out.

Winner of a third-place award in the memoir category from the Catholic Media Association. “This is your cross, and I am not going to take it away from you. I will be with you, and I will help you, but it is yours to carry.” Christy Wilkens heard Jesus speak those words after she prayed for her son Oscar’s healing in her parish adoration chapel one bright September day. Almost a year later she would find herself in Lourdes, France, seeking a miracle. The grotto at Lourdes is known as a place of healing. But sometimes the miracle that occurs is not physical, but something much deeper. Wilkens made the long trek to Lourdes with her husband, Todd, and their toddler—who is plagued by mysterious seizures—through a program with the Order of Malta. In Awakening at Lourdes, Wilkens shares that while Oscar’s condition did improve after their visit, the real healing took place between she and her husband. Through their time at Lourdes, they discovered a deeper love for each other, a renewed sense of appreciation for their faith community, and an abiding confidence in God’s mercy. Persuaded by her husband to take the trip, Wilkens summoned her faith– faith in God, faith in her husband, and faith in the doctors and other helpers who surrounded them every step of the way—to embark on the journey of a lifetime. Recording their experiences with deeply personal yet highly relatable language, Wilkens offers a firsthand account of the traditions and culture of the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes and the shrine’s special servers, the Order of Malta. She also captures her own doubts, questions, and fears as she attempted to process the family’s physical and emotional journey. The Wilkens family’s story will help you learn to be open to what God has in store for you and to see that if you surrender control, open yourself to God’s grace, and lean on your community, you are never alone. The book includes a study guide for individual or group use.