From the Latin American Plenary Council at the General Conference of the Latin American Episcopate

For many years, after Latin American independence, the Holy See has tried to structure their relationship with the Churches of this vast geographical area. Two key events marked this tortuous journey; they were the fruit of the ecclesial vision of two charismatic Popes: Leo XIII and Pius XII. From May 28 to July 9 of 1899, Leo XIII assembled in Rome the Latin American ecclesiastical hierarchy in a plenary council, displaying his interest for this continent. This assembly was the child of the Leonine ecclesial vision and opened a new phase in the history of the Church. From 25 July to 4 August of 1955, the first General Conference of the Latin American Episcopate took place in Rio de Janeiro. Convened by Pius XII, it was of great importance for the mark that it left on the history of the American continent and of the Catholic Church. It was the point of arrival of the problematic construction of a relationship between Rome and the Latin American ecclesial realities. An important fruit of this experience was the creation, inspired by Pope Pius XII, of the Latin American Episcopal Council (Celam).

Maurizio Russo, Cattolicesimo latinoamericano: dal Concilio plenario alla Conferenza generale dell’episcopato in "STORIA E PROBLEMI CONTEMPORANEI" 79/2018, pp 9-41, DOI: 10.3280/SPC2018-079002