Category: Churches

Expedition Team: Dave Miller, Rosie Miller

Date: August 1987

We stopped at this beautiful Catholic Church that had a miraculous staircase that has three mysteries: who built it, what is the material it is made of and where did the material come from?  Lastly, how does the staircase stay together as it defies all conventional construction practice and no nails, glue or screws were used (only wood pegs)?

In 1873 the Sisters of Loretto commissioned the construction of a new chapel for the Girls School. The chapel has high spires and beautiful stained-glass windows. As the construction neared completion the project’s architect suddenly died before he could build the most ambitious part of the project – the staircase leading up to the choir loft. The Sisters asked the local carpenters to build the staircase, but they didn’t know how. The Sisters didn’t know what to do so they turned to prayer and did a nine-day novena asking Saint Joseph, the patron Saint of carpenters, to help them with this problem. On the ninth day a knock came to the door. An elderly man with a donkey stood there. He said he came to build the staircase. The man insisted on working by himself in the chapel and no one could watch him build the staircase. After three months the sister came into the chapel and the carpenter was gone so they couldn’t pay him. The Sisters went to the only local lumberyard to pay for the lumber that the carpenter used, and they said the man did not get any materials at all from them.

Findings: A core sample of the wood used to make the stairway was analyzed and it proved to be a form of piece spruce which is not found in Arizona, nor does it match up 100% with any other type on earth. The winding staircase, double helix shape (two 360 degree turns), has 33 steps which was how old Jesus was when he died. So, who was the mysterious carpenter and was the creation of this staircase a miracle? The staircase was roped off so we could not walk up it, but I have Super 8 film of the staircase & church.

Expedition Team: Dave Miller, Rosie Miller

Date: October 30, 2021

This non-denominational 17 foot by 9 foot church called Christ’s Chapel in Memory Park was built in 1949 by Mrs. Agnes Harper & was nestled in pine trees cloaked with Spanish moss. The church had a bell tower, a beautiful stained-glass window with Jesus behind the alter and had three rows of four chairs to seat 12 parishioners. We re-exchanged our vows and took photos.

Expedition Team: Dave Miller, Rosie Miller

Date: August 3, 2021

This was an awesome stop and gave us a chance to reflect and pray. A paved trail of over 50 bronze statues in scenes depict the last days of Jesus life complete with music and narration. We walked over ¾ mile viewing 15+ scenes including a new scene of Moses with the Ten Commandments and Rosie sitting at the Last Supper talking with Jesus. Nearby was Our Lady of the New Millennium, a 34 foot tall stainless steel statue of the Virgin Mary. Lastly, a statue of Jesus kneeling and holding a baby fetus is beside a plaque dedicated to all babies murdered through abortion.

Expedition Team: Dave Miller, Rosie Miller

Date: April 30, 2021

This painting of Jesus carrying his cross on the way to Golgotha along with the ten commandments is painted on the side of a three story building not far from President Ulysses S. Grant’s boyhood home. Painted in 2018, the mural is across from the county courthouse and next to a street of nostalgic 1880 buildings.

Expedition Team: Dave Miller, Rosie Miller

Date: April 19, 2021

Okay, I know it’s not a church but every time we drive from Dayton to Cincinnati on I-75 we would pass the eye catching 62 foot tall “King of Kings” Jesus statue located at the Solid Rock Church. It was built in 2004 for $250,000. Sadly, it was destroyed by lightning in June 2010. A new replacement 52 foot tall statue called “Lux Mundi” or Light of the World was built and dedicated in September 2012. The design has Jesus stepping forward with his arms open with a welcoming gesture which, when driving by, always comforts me, makes me think of the real Jesus and makes me pray.

Expedition Team: Dave Miller, Rosie Miller, Holly Miller, Jacque Miller, Matt Miller, Shane Miller

Date: 1967, 1999, 2013, November 2017

At a point of land jutting into Matanzas Bay, the great cross is made of stainless-steel plates packed in concrete in its lower third to keep it from falling over during hurricanes. The Great Cross was built in 1966, stands 208 feet tall and marks the place where Christianity was first permanently established in the United States in 1565 (six months before the Pilgrims arrived at Plymouth Rock. The cross is illuminated by powerful lights at night making a striking display.  We walked the grounds, a beautiful greenspace with flowers and palm trees. Nearby was the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche at Mission Nombre de Dios. Nearby is a bronze statue of Father Francisco Lopez de Mendoza Garjales, chaplain of the Mendendez fleet who celebrated the first mass in America at St. Augustine (9-8-1565), was the first missionary and began work at America’s first mission. We visited the nearby Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine (Photo#4). Departing from this holy place we headed to the local beach where we saw God’s handiwork: a turtle nesting in the sand and a handful of starfish (Photo#2 & #3).

Expedition Team: Dave Miller, Rosie Miller, Jacque Miller, Matt Miller, Holly Miller, Shane Miller

Date: July 6, 2003

Our nine state, 14 day trip began at Minneapolis/St. Paul as I finally got to see my favorite baseball team the Minnesota Twins play a home game in the Metrodome.  We attended mass at this beautiful copper-clad domed church built from 1906 to 1915 here at the state capital of St. Paul. The church is named after Saint Paul, the greatest missionary of the early Christian Church.

Expedition Team: Dave Miller, Rosie Miller

Date: September 14, 2014

Enjoyed mass at the “Oldest Church in the Dakota’s”. It was a small church named after Mother Teresa known for her charity work among the poorest of the poor in India. The church had a beautiful painting of Jesus “Ascension”.

Expedition Team: Dave Miller, Rosie Miller

Date: September 2017

While vacationing and scuba diving in the Bahamas at the Sandals Resort to celebrate our 35^th wedding anniversary we attended mass at this historical church whose original cornerstone was laid in August 1875. Although the church has been rebuilt and is now more fortified in case of a hurricane, it still contains the original bell tower. Inside it has beautiful stained glass biblical scenes. Just by chance the Archbishop of the Bahamas gave the sermon that day.

Expedition Team: Dave Miller, Rosie Miller Date: October 6, 2019

Rosie & I camped at the Tucson KOA then attended Catholic Mass at the historic Mission San Xavier del Bac, an old Spanish Mission built in 1797.  This church was beautiful outside and inside and looked it could be in a western movie scene. There was no air conditioning and the acoustics were not very good. The mass was great with some of it in Spanish. The parishioners were 50% of Spanish/Mexican descent.

In the back of the church we were shown an old original door with the date 1797 (Photo#7)). Inside was intricate, beautiful carvings, paintings, statues and a mummy of an alleged Spanish Saint. This was an oddity to me as parishioners would file by the mummy (Photo#8), kiss and give the mask over the face and give the sign of the cross or they would raise the mummy’s head and do the same thing. Outside just east of the church was a trail leading up a hill that had a white cross on top (Photo#9). On top of the church I saw a large hawk next to the cross (Last Photo).

After mass we ate delicious Mexican burritos sold outside at booths by parishioners.