By Cesar Franco
Sunday, July 24
We first went to the sanctuary of Chimayo to pray before the crucifix known as “the Christ of the Esquipulas”. This crucifix was miraculously discovered in the nearby sands by a monk named Bernardo Abeyta on Good Friday, 1810.
We were also able to see the miraculous Saint Joseph’s Staircase in the Loretto Chapel, which is also the first Gothic church west of the Mississippi. The story goes that the nuns were unable to find a carpenter who could build a staircase to the choir loft, as the space in the chapel was too small. The began to pray to St. Joseph, patron of carpenters. Soon afterwords, a man arrived on a donkey, saying that he would build the needed staircase. He worked in the chapel all night, and when the morning came, there was no trace of him. It is believed that the man was 
St Joseph himself. To this day, constructors are unsure of how the slender staircase, without even a center pole, stays up.
Over 850 favorable honks were counted during our rush-hour campaign. One woman very energetically shouted from her car, “Finally somebody is doing something to help this country. That is what we need. People need to start praying!”
Many police officers who drove by blared their sirens or honked.
The weather changed dramatically. We were surrounded by dense storm clouds and could see downpours in the distance. The wind was so strong that we had to roll up our Rosary Rally banner for fear that it would tear in half. The fabric of the red TFP standard snapped in the wind. Curiously, the rain never came.
Taken with permission from content seen on TFP Student Action
Read about the rest of the St. Michael Prayer Tour here:
#1 Young TFP Volunteers Start Multi-State Prayer Tour – July 16
#2 Policeman Tears up Seeing so much Report at TFP Prayer Rally – July 17
#3 Bringing Fatima to the Bible Belt – July 19 & 20
#4 Rosary Prayer Tour Reaches Oklahoma – July 21
#5 Prayer Tour Passes Through North Texas – July 22
#6 St Michael Prayer Tour Gets Steady Support in New Mexico – July 23