Her initial ideas for the church changed in 1950 after she saw a church in France designed by the painter Georges Roualt.

Lloyd Wright clung to the original plans and refused to work with her. So she approached the San Francisco firm of Anshen and Allen, who jumped at the chance to build the unusual chapel.

Staude investigated many potential sites with her husband and the architects, but it was when they flew over Sedona that the future home of the Chapel of the Holy Cross seemed to declare itself. First, an RX-the apothecary emblem--had been painted in the rocks at the foot of the spur. (Staude's father had made his fortune in the wholesale drug business.) Second, and more significant, Staude saw a sight that still delights and humbles visitors to the Chapel-a red rock formation to the east that looks like the Madonna and child, surrounded by rock figures that some people say look like praying nuns; others like the three wise men.

There was one major glitch in securing the land, however. It belonged to the National Forest Service. After unsuccessful attempts to obtain the land locally, Staude flew to Washington, DC, and met with Senator Barry Goldwater, a personal friend. She showed him the rendering and he caught her enthusiasm, marching her to the office of the Secretary of the Interior, who granted the necessary permit.

The groundbreaking for the chapel took place in April 1955. The construction was arduous and sometimes complicated, requiring not only skill but also ingenuity and tremendous commitment. (For a detailed description, refer to Kate Ruland-Thorne's book Upon This Rock.) It took 18 months to complete the Chapel of the Holy Cross at a cost of $300,000, which was a modest sum even in those days; everyone associated with the project generously cut their costs. The chapel was dedicated in the spring of 1957.