Lourdes Lives

01 March 2008

2008 is the 150th anniversary of the apparition of the Virgin Mary to 14 year-old Bernadette Soubirous in Lourdes.  Many people from the Clifton Diocese have experienced Lourdes since then and to celebrate cliftondiocese.com brings you a series of podcasts about the world famous shrine.

Our first episode features a conversation with Taunton parishioner Doug Lowe.  Doug is a volunteer with HCPT - The Pilgrimage Trust.  He tells us about what Lourdes means to the children he takes to the place in France that attracts six million visitors each year.

The Clifton Diocese Lourdes Pilgrimage is led by Bishop Declan and takes place in August.

A handy new book entitled ‘Every Pilgrim’s Guide to Lourdes’ is out now.  It combines a mix of practical information for travellers, the history and background of the places featured, plus devotional commentary, prayers and readings appropriate for pilgrims today. Lourdes is universally known throughout the Catholic world and many hundreds of pilgrimage groups visit each year from Britain and Ireland. This new volume gives a detailed A-Z guide to all the places and events in Lourdes that pilgrims will want to experience, tells the engaging story of Bernadette, includes a section of prayers and readings and features other places of interest nearby for extra days out.

‘Every Pilgrim’s Guide to Lourdes’ is written by Sally Martin who together with her husband, John, has played a key part in the annual pilgrimage to Lourdes from Ampleforth for many years. Sally frequently gives talks on Lourdes to local churches and women’s groups.

‘Every Pilgrim’s Guide to Lourdes’ (ISBN 1-85311-627-0) is published by Canterbury Press and priced at £9.99. 

cliftondiocese.com has several copies to give away.  To be in with the chance of winning a copy, please let us know you Lourdes memories by completing the form below.  We’ll publish some in our Lourdes Lives series.  

You can download our podcast in the multimedia panel on the right.

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