When Christ handed the "Keys of the Kingdom" (Matt. 16:18-19)¹ to Peter, one of His first Apostles, Jesus established His Church two millennia ago. Today the "Keeper of the Keys" is Pope John Paul II, successor of St. Peter. He has dedicated his entire papacy to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  Now, let us begin our own personal journey with a prayer.  It is a prayer that reflects the words  by which the angel, Gabriel, "greeted" Mary and announced to her that she was to become the Mother of Jesus.  It is called the "The Angelic Salutation."      HAIL MARY, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.  Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.  Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.  Amen.

On January 22, 1999 ~~ 

                                    something happened ~ a happening that will transform the course of human history, first on the entire American Continent and then possibly the World. 

On January 22, 1999, Pope John Paul II was welcomed to Mexico City amidst the joyous outcry of thousands upon thousands of people lining the city streets. This was his fourth visit to Mexico since he had begun his papacy twenty years ago. 

It truly was an occasion to rejoice! During the Papal Mass, celebrated at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, on Saturday, January 23, John Paul II personally handed this invaluable document to approximately 500 bishops who were in attendance. This same document was sent to every bishop in every diocese in North, Central and South America, which the Pope and most of the entire world views as a single continent ~~  The American Continent.

We may be asking ourselves ~~ 

                                        "Has not this Pope issued many informative letters called encyclicals?
                                         What is so special about this one?" 

It is the result of the intense work accomplished by our Pope, in collaboration with bishops  representing all of the countries from the American Continent.

The representative peoples of the Church had met at the Vatican from November 16 to December 12, 1997, placing all their diligent work under the powerful patronage of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The work is an official compilation of strategies and goals that the Church in America must strive for and achieve in the next millennium!

It is a Work of Love 
called 

"THE CHURCH IN AMERICA"

¹ "And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven."