In this episode of ‘Inside the Pages’, Marlene Watkins shares her deep connection to Lourdes through her work with Our Lady of Lourdes Hospitality North American Volunteers and her new book Everyday Miracles of Lourdes.

Marlene Watkins recounts how the Blessed Mother revealed herself as the Immaculate Conception to a simple, poor, and uneducated girl—a truth St. Bernadette communicated with unwavering sincerity and the enduring grace of Lourdes as a place where physical and spiritual transformations continue today.

Though they escape the notice of many, stunning miracles of healing take place each and every day at Our Lady’s Grotto in Lourdes, France. Inexplicable, biblical-like healings of body, mind, and spirit leave visitors with the gifts of peace and renewed faith. Here is the book that will move you, deepen your faith in Our Lady’s active involvement in our world, and help you personally encounter Our Lord.

Marlene Watkins recounts twenty astounding true stories of miracles at Lourdes, including her own watershed healing, which inspired her to establish Our Lady of Lourdes Hospitality North American Volunteers and become the first volunteer.

In these absorbing pages, you will marvel at how these volunteer helpers bring the sick to the Grotto — and then also experience healings themselves.

You will read the stories of people who were cured and reconciled with God — from babies to preteens to near centenarians. You will be inspired, for instance, by the testimony of a woman with a progressive neurodegenerative disease who not only went to Lourdes to selflessly care for the sick but later returned to receive a gift from Our Eucharistic Lord and Our Lady.

In chapter after chapter, you will encounter men and women who were healed from debilitating traumas, panic attacks, or mood swings.

You will be consoled by stories of women who experienced the loss of babies, including by abortion, and found solace in the arms of our Heavenly Mother.

And you will encounter a man who was struggling with faith and was drawn to Lourdes, where he met the Blessed Mother. Moreover, you will discover:

Above all, you will see how Our Lady leads souls into deeper communion with her Eucharistic Son and with one another, whether through caring for sick loved ones or experiencing loving relationships. Prepare yourself to become a believer and an ardent lover of Lourdes.

Marlene Watkins is the founder of Our Lady of Lourdes Hospitality North American Volunteers, the first Lourdes Hospitality outside Europe and the first of the Americas.In twenty years, as a volunteer, Marlene has led over two hundred pilgrimages to Lourdes for more than six thousand pilgrims, including the seriously ill and profoundly disabled with medical, adult, university and youth volunteers. Marlene has guided Lourdes Virtual Pilgrimage Experiences TM across North America, and in Europe, Asia, South America and Africa.In 2015, Marlene was named an Our Sunday Visitor “Catholic of the Year.” She has appeared on CBS, EWTN, PBS, BBC; and hosts the EWTN “My Lourdes Faith Journey” miniseries.Marlene is a wife, mother, grandmother, Secular Franciscan and member of the Hospitalité Notre-Dame de Lourdes. Marlene and her husband, Bill, live in Syracuse, New York, or in the LourdesMobile RV traveling America and sharing the Gospel Message of Lourdes.

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Deacon Omar Gutiérrez and Kris McGregor take a look at the remarkable legacy of Pope Leo XIII, who inspired Pope Leo XIV’s chosen name, and his major contributions to modern Catholic thought and life and his wide-ranging influence: reviving Thomistic philosophy, championing the Sacred Heart devotion, initiating the Saint Michael Prayer, and issuing over 80 encyclicals that addressed freedom, citizenship, and social responsibility. Pope Leo XIII’s guidance helped unify the Benedictine orders, supported missionary efforts of saints like Thérèse of Lisieux, Frances Cabrini, and Katharine Drexel, and offered a vision of the Church that engaged deeply with modern challenges. His encyclical Rerum Novarum laid the foundation for Catholic social teaching: a response to industrialization rooted in the dignity of the human person, especially the working poor.

They discuss connections between Leo XIII’s era and current developments such as artificial intelligence and economic shifts. We shouldn’t reduce Catholic social teaching to political ideologies or mislabeling it as socialist. Instead, we must look at it from the truth that it stems from a call to love God and neighbo: caring for the vulnerable, implementing ethical labor practices, and the right use of property are not merely political concerns but spiritual imperatives grounded in Christ’s command to serve.

Deacon Omar Gutiérrez is the President and co-Founder of the Evangelium Institute as well as the Director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith in the Archdiocese of Omaha.

This short introduction provides the historical background for Pope Leo XIII’s Rerum Novarum as well as some detail about the pope himself. It also provides a paragraph-by-paragraph summary of the document to better understand the teaching. This is ideal for students of the document and those studying Catholic Social Teaching.

You can buy a copy of the book here.

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Kris McGregor interviews Dr. Matthew Bunson about his new book on Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost. Dr. Bunson recounts the extraordinary events surrounding Pope Francis’s final days and the surprising election that followed. He offers a deeply personal perspective on the historic transition, describing his experience covering the month-long period in Rome with EWTN. Dr. Bunson reflects on the unexpected yet providential choice of Pope Leo XIV—a U.S.-born Augustinian with extensive missionary and Vatican experience—and explores why he resonated so strongly with the College of Cardinals.

Pope Leo XIV’s pontificate is already marked by clarity, humility, and theological depth rooted in the Augustinian tradition, as well as the Pope’s focus on the dignity of the human person, renewal of Catholic social teaching, and the global challenges posed by technology and modernity. With insight into the papal conclave, the Church’s current needs, and Pope Leo XIV’s spiritual and pastoral formation, Dr. Bunson presents a compelling portrait of a man uniquely positioned to guide the Church in a new era of both continuity and renewal.

We have a Pope! And his name is Leo XIV.

But who is this American-born 266th successor to St. Peter? What is the former Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost’s vision for the Church, and what impact will his papacy have on Catholics and on the world?

Renowned Vatican journalist Dr. Matthew Bunson offers the first authoritative portrait of the new Holy Father. With unmatched access and a reputation for integrity and insight, Bunson delivers a compelling, richly textured narrative of the new pope’s life, beliefs, and most improbable journey to the Chair of St. Peter.

This book will roll off the presses on May 21st, making it the first definitive biography available to readers worldwide. Accessible, informative, and rooted in journalistic rigor and an intimate understanding of the Church, Leo XIV: Portrait of the First American Pope is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the man inside the white cassock — and the moment in which he will reign.

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Kris McGregor and Deacon Omar Gutierrez discuss the significance of the recent election of Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope, reflecting on the profound impact of his surprising selection. They discuss the connection between this new pope and his predecessor, Pope Leo XIII, known for his foundational contributions to Catholic social teaching and spiritual devotion, including the Saint Michael prayer. This connection is seen as a powerful symbol of continuity and hope, emphasizing the unifying power of the Holy Spirit during times of change.

They also touch on the cultural and spiritual roots of the new pope, including his upbringing in Chicago and deep ties to Peru, which many see as a bridge-building moment for the Americas, with hopeful anticipation for how Pope Leo XIV will engage with contemporary challenges, reflecting the Church’s enduring mission to speak truth to a fragmented world.

Deacon Omar Gutiérrez is the President and co-Founder of the Evangelium Institute as well as the Director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith in the Archdiocese of Omaha.

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Kris McGregor speaks with theologian and author Timothy Muldoon about The Discerning Parent: An Ignatian Guide to Raising Your Teen, co-written with his wife, Sue. Ignatian spirituality offers a helpful framework for parenting teens—not by prescribing rigid methods, but by inviting parents into a deeper awareness of their own spiritual journey as they accompany their children. Rather than presenting a “how-to” manual, the book encourages a reflective, prayerful stance that allows for genuine listening to both God and the child. It highlights the importance of recognizing each teen’s unique development and being attentive to how God might be working in their life without oversteering or controlling their path.

The challenge many parents face in fearing their children might drift from the Church, and how that fear often reflects unresolved questions in the parent’s own spiritual life. He draws on the example of Saint Monica and the Ignatian principle of letting God deal directly with each soul. The book invites parents to shift from decision-making to discernment, cultivating what Muldoon calls the “acoustics of the heart”—a spiritual sensitivity that helps both parent and child recognize what aligns with God’s voice. Topics like moral development, body awareness, and complex issues like social media and sexuality are approached through reflection and conversation, not prescriptive answers.

“This thoughtful approach shows you how to talk with your children openly about freedom vs. limits, friendships, family time, sexuality, the use and abuse of technology, faith and Catholic practice, recognizing the needs of others, and getting through hard times together. You’ll discover when to be tough and when to be forgiving, when to control and when to give freedom, when to give feedback and when to wait. You will learn the importance of praying for your teens, and the important of praying together as a family.

Daily and weekly prayers, devotions, and meditations will guide you as the Muldoons show how this is a time of discernment for you as well as your teens–and create a way for you to move through these challenging years together. The Discerning Parent offers you an opportunity to pause and consider your life and your teen’s in the light of faith.”

Timothy P. Muldoon is a philosopher, theologian, and author of many books in the areas of Christian theology and spirituality. His research interests in both Philosophy and Theology include the thought of Bernard Lonergan, SJ, particularly as his work sheds light on reversing cultural decline; and the history and practice of Christian spirituality, particularly in the Ignatian tradition. He held several administrative and teaching roles at Boston College since 2005, and joined the Philosophy Department in 2020. He has held visiting professorships at LaSalle University, the Catholic University of America, and Washington Theological Union, and has lectured widely in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Prior to coming to Boston College, he was the Chair of the Department of Religious Studies, Philosophy, and Theology at Mount Aloysius College in Cresson, Pennsylvania. His current work involves the philosophy of community and the promotion of flourishing communities.

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In this classic interview from 2007, Bruce and Kris McGregor speak with actress Sydney Penny about her portrayal of St. Bernadette Soubirous in the films Bernadette and The Passion of Bernadette. Sydney reflects on how she was cast in the role as a young actress and how the experience of playing Bernadette—both in Lourdes and later in the convent at Nevers—deeply impacted her spiritually. She shares how the films aimed to faithfully present the saint’s life; not only the famous apparitions but also Bernadette’s later years marked by suffering, humility, and joyful perseverance. Sydney discusses how the role taught her about true spiritual strength, the value of simplicity, and the depth of Bernadette’s character, which continues to inspire her in everyday life.

They also explore the challenges Sydney faced filming in both English and French, her connection to the physical locations of Lourdes and Nevers, and the gift of encountering Bernadette’s incorrupt body. Sydney, though not Catholic, expresses how the story and spirit of Bernadette enriched her life and gave her a lasting model of grace.

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Dr. Robert Enright speaks with Kris McGregor about his book Forgiving as Unity with Christ: A Journey for Healing, Resentment, and Relationships. He shares how an epiphany in 1985 redirected his academic career toward the study of forgiveness, which had previously been neglected in psychological research. Forgiveness, as a moral virtue, can transform the heart by healing the effects of injustice such as anger, resentment, and mistrust. Drawing from Aristotle and Aquinas, forgiveness does not excuse wrongdoing, demand forgetfulness, require reconciliation, or negate the pursuit of justice. Rather, it involves offering goodness to one who has acted unfairly, allowing a person to reclaim peace and dignity while also maintaining boundaries and seeking fairness where needed.

Dr. Enright outlines forgiveness as a deliberate, grace-filled path that must often be walked slowly, with self-awareness and even journaling. He discusses its spiritual dimensions, particularly its unity with Christ’s suffering and love on the cross, which brings healing not only to the individual but potentially to the offender and their relationship. He touches on the need for forgiveness education, especially within Catholic contexts, to help children and adults alike cope with life’s inevitable wounds. Dr. Enright also speaks on self-forgiveness, highlighting its importance in embracing one’s worth before God, especially through confession and sincere restitution. His research in diverse settings—from survivors of incest to prison inmates—demonstrates the transformative power of forgiveness on emotional, relational, and even physical well-being.

Dr. Robert D. Enright, founder of the International Forgiveness Institute, invites you to travel with him down the road from alienation to forgiveness to possible reconciliation. His cathartic exercises will enliven your relationship with Jesus and provide a healing balm that will deepen your empathy and dispose you to forgiving others.

Similar to The Imitation of Christ, this work is divided into three books comprising short chapters with brief points to consider. The first book lays out forgiveness in general and includes biblical stories of forgiveness; the second approaches forgiveness from the Catholic perspective, including loving others through our intimate connection with Christ and seeking forgiveness ourselves; the third discusses skeptical views of forgiveness as well as self-forgiveness, forgiveness within communities, and what legacy you will leave behind.

These powerful exercises will help you understand what forgiveness actually is and why it is beneficial, including scientific studies of those who were suffering physically, psychologically, or emotionally and experienced healing.

You will learn answers to soul-searching questions and discover:

As you contemplate God’s love for you in these extraordinary pages, you will grow deeper in your faith through journaling prompts and transformative meditations, including penetrating questions to guide you on your path to freedom. The book has been given an imprimatur by Bishop Donald Hying of the Catholic Diocese of Madison, Wisconsin.

Dr. Robert Enright is a member of the Catholic Church. He is a licensed psychologist and the founder of the International Forgiveness Institute, a nonprofit organization dedicated to disseminating knowledge about forgiveness and community renewal through forgiveness. In 2020, he was awarded the Aristotelian Professorship in Forgiveness Science in the Department of Educational Psychology at University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is the first to publish a scientific study on the topic of person-to-person forgiving (1989). He is a popular speaker on forgiveness, and his work has appeared in such outlets as Time magazine, the Los Angeles Times, and the Chicago Tribune and on ABC’s 20/20. His International Forgiveness Institute organized the Jerusalem Conference on Forgiveness for the Renewal of Individuals, Families, and Communities at the Notre Dame of Jerusalem Center, 2017; the Rome Conference on Forgiveness at the University of Santa Croce, 2018; and the International Educational Conference on Agape Love and Forgiveness in Madison, Wisconsin, 2022. For his innovative research on forgiveness, he received in 2022 what the American Psychological Association calls “psychology’s highest awards:” the APF Gold Medal Award for Impact in Psychology..

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Dr. Alexander Harb and Kris McGregor explore The Kingdom of the Heart: Meditations from the Christian East, his new book that gives both spiritual and theological insight into Eastern Christian spirituality through the lens of the Desert Fathers and the Philokalia. Dr. Harb draws from his Melkite upbringing to describe how Eastern Christianity puts prayer and transformation toward the heart—an inner stillness cultivated through asceticism and the Jesus Prayer. This tradition invites us to unite our hearts with Christ’s, not just in theory but through lived compunction, metanoia (inner conversion), and deep emotional engagement with God’s love. True knowledge of God isn’t just academic but relational—akin to the intimacy of family—and how early monks wept not out of guilt, but out of being overwhelmed by divine love.

The roles of mercy, trust, and detachment from worldly distractions are essential to guarding the heart. Bright sadness—a concept from Eastern Lent—captures the paradox of Christian sorrow infused with hope. Finally, the discussion circles back to Christ’s own battle with temptation in the desert, illustrating how scripture and silence anchor the soul in times of trial. Dr. Harb’s book invites us into a journey of inner transformation with divine intimacy, wisdom born of suffering, and a deep call to holiness.

“Although the story of our salvation began in the Orient, the richness of the spirituality of our Eastern Fathers and Mothers in the Faith has long remained hidden. The Church is indebted to the East for revealing how Christians from apostolic times lived their faith, from founding Christian monastic life to developing the worship that has helped shape our liturgy.

In this spiritual masterpiece, Dr. Alexander Harb offers penetrating meditations on nine themes of the spiritual life, drawing from Eastern Christian sources and his own real-life examples. Each chapter includes a power-packed meditation, a related Scripture passage, engaging reflection questions, and challenges that are perfectly accessible for individual or group study.

Through the lens of the Eastern Church and the Desert Fathers, you will reflect on topics such as repentance, the Jesus Prayer, heartbrokenness, discernment, family, friendship, and total reliance on God.

In these absorbing pages, you will discover:

Although practicing asceticism can be challenging, the fruits of inner freedom, peace, and the vision of God are unmistakable. These life-changing reflections aim to help you experience God’s compassionate and healing love for you and your family. By absorbing the wisdom of the East, you will come to know the Father’s merciful love more deeply, grow closer to our Lord, Jesus Christ, and become enlightened by the Holy Spirit.”

Having grown up in the Melkite Catholic Church, Dr. Alexander Sami Harb became interested in Eastern Christianity at a very young age. He completed his doctorate in Eastern Christian Studies at the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome with the publication of his thesis in 2022. His theological focus was on the Desert Fathers and their attention to the heart. Dr. Harb especially worked to find ancient textual evidence of attention to Jesus’ heart within the desert and among the early Church Fathers. He lives and works as a theology teacher in Birmingham, Alabama.

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You can find the book here

From the book description:

Sensing the precarious nature of faith in an overwhelmingly secular world, Read, through meditation and anecdote, began writing down the compelling reasons for holding onto both God and Church. Taking the Annunciation as her template (that most fundamental yes to God), she explores common experiences of the spiritual life: His presence and invitation (And he came to her); the fears we have to let go of (Do not be afraid); the realization of our identity in God (Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord) and what our vocation might be (Let it be to me according to your word); and when God feels very distant from us (And the angel departed from her).

Drawing on Scripture, lives of the saints, and the lives of people she has known personally and professionally as a nurse, Read shows how God is with us always―through suffering, spiritual dryness and depression, as well as in joyful and mystical ways. This book was inspired by a mother’s loving response to a daughter―but what has resulted is something that will speak to any believer engaged in the bliss and bewilderment of a relationship with God.

Check out our previous conversation:  IP#309 Sally Read – Night’s Bright Darkness on Inside the Pages with Kris McGregor

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Sister Josephine Garrett and Kris McGregor discuss Wilderness Within, a Lenten journal designed to guide individuals in deepening their spiritual journey. Sister Josephine explains that the book is not for the faint of heart but for those willing to reflect on their implicit beliefs about God, faith, and themselves. The book explores the theme of the “wilderness within,” likening it to the Desert Fathers’ realization that the greatest spiritual battle is fought in the human heart and the importance of rendering one’s heart open to Christ, engaging in interior reflection, and embracing the challenges of Lent not as failures but as necessary struggles on the path to spiritual growth.

The need for authentic hope amid personal and societal struggles is important during the Jubilee of Hope. Fasting, penance, and detachment each share a role in gaining clarity and deepening union with God rather than simply self-denial. She encourages listeners to avoid rushing through Lent, instead embracing the rhythm of the liturgical season as a model for ongoing spiritual discipline.

This Lent, allow Sr. Josephine Garrett to be your guide as you explore the interior wilderness of your heart and invite Jesus in to heal you with his love.

Have you ever wondered why Jesus went into the wilderness? Some believe it was to reveal his divinity or to restore humanity’s relationship with God. In Wilderness Within, Sr. Josephine Garrett, a mental health counselor and popular speaker, reflects on the belief that Jesus went into the wilderness to rescue us—to rescue us! The Lord does not want us to view the wilderness as something that causes worry, anxiety, or fear. “What if, instead,” Sr. Josephine writes, “we looked at how God has been a faithful provider in the wilderness and trusted that He will do the same for us in the wilderness journey ahead? What if we joyfully take His hand and journey into the wilderness, because when Christ enters there, ‘this opposite place of the garden becomes the place of reconciliation and healing’” (Pope Benedict XVI, Jesus of Nazareth)?

In Wilderness Within, Sr. Josephine will guide you through the forty days of Lent to attend to the wilderness of your heart as a place to be explored, restored, and sent on mission by Jesus’s tender love.

Each day’s content includes brief meditations, specially crafted illustrations, thought-provoking reflection questions, heartfelt prayers curated to uplift your spirit, and ample journaling space for personal revelations and insights. Whether you’re journeying alone or with a group, Wilderness Within is your guide to a beautiful and renewing Lent.

Sr. Josephine Garrett, CSFN, is a sister of the Holy Family of Nazareth, a licensed counselor, host of the Hope Stories podcast, and a Catholic speaker and author.

Garrett earned a bachelor’s degree in political philosophy from the University of Dallas. Prior to entering religious life, she worked as vice president in the home loans division of Bank of America. In 2019, she earned a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology and became a nationally certified counselor licensed in Texas.

She worked as a school counselor in Tyler, Texas, and is presently serving as a counselor in private practice. Garret is a voice for mental health on various platforms such as Formed and Hallow.

She resides in Tyler, Texas.

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