and Preserves the Legacy of the Black Madonna Shrine

Photojournalist and author Jeanette McDermott has released her new book, Walk the Pilgrim’s Path: Discover the Black Madonna Shrine and Hidden Grottos of the Ozarks, a visually rich, spiritually contemplative tribute to one of America’s hidden treasures. Many people have never heard of the shrine or its extraordinary history—a key reason McDermott set out to document it.

“I had several reasons for writing the book,” she said. “I wanted to ensure Brother Bronislaus’ story is preserved and help safeguard this one-of-a-kind sacred site in the United States. When sites like these vanish to fire, decay, or neglect, we lose more than a structure. We lose a piece of our shared wonder and a chapter of our collective memory. 

“These spaces are part of our inheritance, even if we don’t always recognize it. Places like the Black Madonna Shrine and Grottos don’t endure on their own. They last because people keep showing up—walking the path, caring for the grounds, giving enough to keep them standing for whoever comes next” she said,

McDermott is a longtime supporter of the shrine, and a portion of all book proceeds is being donated to the Black Madonna Shrine to help sustain its preservation work.