
In our latest Messenger, we celebrate Missouri's bicentennial in 2021 by recalling special church and state events throughout the last 200 years. One well-remembered event is Pope John Paul II's visit to St. Louis as part of his journey to North America, which included a stop in Mexico for the Synod of Bishops for America, in 1999. Missouri Catholics will forever remember this special visit, especially those 20,000 youth that gathered at the Kiel Center and heard the pope call for a renewal of Christian marriage, support for a culture of life, and an end to every form of racism. Read more about the pope's visit to St. Louis in this great article from the St. Louis Review.
*Correction: in the printed issue of Messenger that appeared in Missouri's diocesan papers, the date of Pope John Paul II's visit to St. Louis was incorrectly listed as April 26, 1999. The correct date is January 26, 1999.