Today I, Zeb the Duck, and Soapy Smith Duck, are going with our moms toward Estes Park. We all love Estes Park. It is a great mountain resort town near Rocky Mountain National Park, about 90 minutes from home. Chapel on a Rock, or Saint Catherine of Siena Chapel is our first stop.
Saint Catherine of Siena Chapel
In 1916 Monsignor Joseph Bosetti was on a quest to find the impact site of a falling star when he found this rock formation. Remembering the Bible verse Matthew 16:18, upon this rock I will build my church, the Monsignor wanted to build a church here. But he had no funds. For 20 years he prayed and struggled with the Colorado Highway Department to keep his Rock intact. The land was purchased and then donated by Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Malo. In 1936, twenty years after first seeing the rock, the chapel was completed. The statue is very prominent, also.
Statue near chapel
This chapel is beautiful with Mount Meeker as a backdrop. The sanctuary is very nice.
Sanctuary
Here are some stairs.
Let’s go up the stairs
The stairs lead to the loft. This view is also nice.
View from loft
The official name of this chapel is Saint Catherine of Siena Chapel. This Franz Mayer stained glass window, depicts Saint Catherine holding the body of Christ on the cross.
View of loft and window
The statue of soft wood was made in Giacomo Mussner Studios in Bolzano, Italy.
Statue from Bolzano, Italy
The chapel was part of the Camp Saint Malo Catholic Retreat, Conference and Spiritual Center. The main building burned in 2011, but the chapel was not damaged. In 2013 during the floods, debris from a mountain slide destroyed much of the trails and other buildings, but again, the chapel was not damaged. The chapel is open to the public and available for weddings and other occasions. In 1993 Pope John Paul II visited this chapel and hiked some of the mountain trails. Next we visited Rocky Mountain National Park.
We love Rocky Mountain National Park
This is a favorite place for us. Today we drove to Bear Lake.
Bear Lake
There is a half mile trail around the lake.
Hiking trail
This is our favorite short hike in Rocky Mountain National Park.
Bear Lake
Soon it started to rain, so we went into Estes Park and had lunch at the Stanley Hotel.
The Stanley Hotel
Our moms said we could come back here soon and spend the night at the famous Stanley Hotel. When we do, we will tell you about this hotel and if we see any ghosts.
Colorado Traveling Ducks 
In addition to the Matthew 16:18 verse, the 2013 flood is a perfect illustration of Jesus’ parable in Matthew 7 about building on the rock. The St. Malo chapel is about a mile north of my wife’s family’s cabin in Meeker Park, where we have spent many blessed days, usually including a walk up to St. Malo. It certainly is an inspiring place.
We really enjoyed visiting St. Malo. It is beautiful, peaceful and inspiring. We are all fortunate to have it nearby. Thanks for reading and commenting.