[quote]I went to Lourdes nearly 30 years ago - probably just because of the film "A song for Bernadette". Frankly, it made me feel sick and disgusted. Even as we waited at the railway station in Nice, we s...[/quote] I have to say that my experience at Lourdes was quite different. Yes, all the tacky souvenir shops are there, but those exist at almost every site in the world where lots of people go to visit. What I found were a great many helpful, kind people who seemed very patient with those less fortunate than themselves. I did not go with any religious group, just as an individual interested in what I would find there. I have to say that I don't belong to any specific religion and, generally, don't really feel comfortable with organized religion. I did not have a religious upbringing at all and before going to Lourdes assumed that I would feel a bit uncomfortable there. Instead, I came away greatly moved with the feeling of spirituality that I found in the sanctuary. I felt a feeling of peace that I hadn't expected. Thus, it's clear that the place can have different effects on different people. Randy