Did Pope Benedict really call for a "One-World Government and New World Order"?!

In my early reading of Cartitas in Veritate, I noted on the first day it was available that paragraph 67 would be "sure to generate some vigorous debate back-and-forth." And sure enough it did.

John Henry Westen, however, argues that the pope speaks against such a reality, and not for it:

Newspapers, blogs, talk-shows on radio and television are full of discussion over Pope Benedict XVI's supposed call for a "new world order" or a "one-world government." These ideas are, however, neither based in reality nor a clear reading of the Pope's latest encyclical, Caritas in Veritate, the release of which yesterday spawned the heated discussion.

The Pope actually speaks directly against a one-world government, and, as would be expected from those who have read his previous writings, calls for massive reform of the United Nations. Confusion seems to have come from paragraph 67 of the encyclical, which has some choice pull-quotes which have spiced the pages of the world's news, from the New York Times to those of conspiracy theorist bloggers seeing the Pope as the Anti-Christ. [Read on.]

Survey: Reactions and commentary to Caritas in Veritate

Yesterday, a minute after the embargo was lifted, I made available the full text of Caritas in Veritate.

24 hours later, it's time to survey the Catholic commentary:

• An economist friend of mine published in Pew Sitter: "'Curse of the Mad Scientists' created the chaos described in Pope Benedict’s encyclical on economics, says UDM economics professor"
• For more (excellent) economic commentary from a Catholic perspective, see the multiple contributions made available by those affiliated with the Acton Institute here. They do this for a living.
• Sandro Magister publishes an anthology of what he considers to be the most important passages (My own quote pulls are accessible via this link and then scrolling down the page)
• The Catholic Thing has a symposium with contributions from Michael Novak, James Schall, SJ, Joseph Wood and Rob Royal
• Dan Gilgoff I think misses the hierarchy of truths proposed by Pope Benedict when he claims that "Pope Benedict's Encyclical Is a Boost for Catholic Progressives"
• In a similar vein, David Gibson claims "The Pope Is a Liberal. Who knew?" Problem is, for many "liberals", that amounts to abandoning or subordinating life issues. Sorry, I know that doesn't work.
• Deal Hudson, representing the other end of the spectrum, claims the encyclical "tightens up the Church's social teaching"
• LifeSiteNews, meanwhile, in addition to Paragraph 28 (which I mentioned), points out the strong pro-life points made in Paragraph 44.

I haven't dipped into the mainstream commentaries yet - I'm almost afraid to - but give it another 24hrs, and I'll include them as well. That's about how long it takes to separate wheat from chaff these days.

Cool Graphic: Word Cloud of Caritas in Veritate

Like Jim at the CNS Blog, I'm not a big fan of word clouds, but sometimes they are very revealing:
Gee, um ... I wonder what this encyclical is about?

Text: Caritas in Veritate on what true humanism looks like

Pope Benedict's third encyclical is a mammoth work which will take some time to digest, but here is a fifth (and final) paragraph I'd like to highlight, where he talks about what true humanism looks like:

78. .... Paul VI recalled in Populorum Progressio that man cannot bring about his own progress unaided, because by himself he cannot establish an authentic humanism. Only if we are aware of our calling, as individuals and as a community, to be part of God's family as his sons and daughters, will we be able to generate a new vision and muster new energy in the service of a truly integral humanism. The greatest service to development, then, is a Christian humanism that enkindles charity and takes its lead from truth, accepting both as a lasting gift from God. Openness to God makes us open towards our brothers and sisters and towards an understanding of life as a joyful task to be accomplished in a spirit of solidarity. On the other hand, ideological rejection of God and an atheism of indifference, oblivious to the Creator and at risk of becoming equally oblivious to human values, constitute some of the chief obstacles to development today. A humanism which excludes God is an inhuman humanism. Only a humanism open to the Absolute can guide us in the promotion and building of forms of social and civic life — structures, institutions, culture and ethos — without exposing us to the risk of becoming ensnared by the fashions of the moment.

Text: Caritas in Veritate on the teaching of Humanae Vitae

Pope Benedict's third encyclical is a mammoth work which will take some time to digest, but here is a fourth important paragraph I'd like to highlight, revealing Pope Benedict's summary of Paul VI's Humanae Vitae:

15. Two further documents by Paul VI without any direct link to social doctrine — the Encyclical Humanae Vitae (25 July 1968) and the Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Nuntiandi (8 December 1975) — are highly important for delineating the fully human meaning of the development that the Church proposes. It is therefore helpful to consider these texts too in relation to Populorum Progressio.

The Encyclical Humanae Vitae emphasizes both the unitive and the procreative meaning of sexuality, thereby locating at the foundation of society the married couple, man and woman, who accept one another mutually, in distinction and in complementarity: a couple, therefore, that is open to life. This is not a question of purely individual morality: Humanae Vitae indicates the strong links between life ethics and social ethics, ushering in a new area of magisterial teaching that has gradually been articulated in a series of documents, most recently John Paul II's Encyclical Evangelium Vitae.

Text: Caritas in Veritate on 'urgent need of a true world political authority'

Pope Benedict's third encyclical is a mammoth work which will take some time to digest, but here is a third important paragraph I'd like to highlight, one that is sure to generate some vigorous debate back-and-forth:

67. In the face of the unrelenting growth of global interdependence, there is a strongly felt need, even in the midst of a global recession, for a reform of the United Nations Organization, and likewise of economic institutions and international finance, so that the concept of the family of nations can acquire real teeth. One also senses the urgent need to find innovative ways of implementing the principle of the responsibility to protect and of giving poorer nations an effective voice in shared decision-making. This seems necessary in order to arrive at a political, juridical and economic order which can increase and give direction to international cooperation for the development of all peoples in solidarity. To manage the global economy; to revive economies hit by the crisis; to avoid any deterioration of the present crisis and the greater imbalances that would result; to bring about integral and timely disarmament, food security and peace; to guarantee the protection of the environment and to regulate migration: for all this, there is urgent need of a true world political authority, as my predecessor Blessed John XXIII indicated some years ago. Such an authority would need to be regulated by law, to observe consistently the principles of subsidiarity and solidarity, to seek to establish the common good, and to make a commitment to securing authentic integral human development inspired by the values of charity in truth. Furthermore, such an authority would need to be universally recognized and to be vested with the effective power to ensure security for all, regard for justice, and respect for rights. Obviously it would have to have the authority to ensure compliance with its decisions from all parties, and also with the coordinated measures adopted in various international forums. Without this, despite the great progress accomplished in various sectors, international law would risk being conditioned by the balance of power among the strongest nations. The integral development of peoples and international cooperation require the establishment of a greater degree of international ordering, marked by subsidiarity, for the management of globalization. They also require the construction of a social order that at last conforms to the moral order, to the interconnection between moral and social spheres, and to the link between politics and the economic and civil spheres, as envisaged by the Charter of the United Nations.

Text: Caritas in Veritate on 'Population and Marriage'

Pope Benedict's third encyclical is a mammoth work which will take some time to digest, but here is a second important paragraph I'd like to highlight, Pope Benedict on Population and Marriage:

44. The notion of rights and duties in development must also take account of the problems associated with population growth. This is a very important aspect of authentic development, since it concerns the inalienable values of life and the family. To consider population increase as the primary cause of underdevelopment is mistaken, even from an economic point of view. Suffice it to consider, on the one hand, the significant reduction in infant mortality and the rise in average life expectancy found in economically developed countries, and on the other hand, the signs of crisis observable in societies that are registering an alarming decline in their birth rate. Due attention must obviously be given to responsible procreation, which among other things has a positive contribution to make to integral human development. The Church, in her concern for man's authentic development, urges him to have full respect for human values in the exercise of his sexuality. It cannot be reduced merely to pleasure or entertainment, nor can sex education be reduced to technical instruction aimed solely at protecting the interested parties from possible disease or the “risk” of procreation. This would be to impoverish and disregard the deeper meaning of sexuality, a meaning which needs to be acknowledged and responsibly appropriated not only by individuals but also by the community. It is irresponsible to view sexuality merely as a source of pleasure, and likewise to regulate it through strategies of mandatory birth control. In either case materialistic ideas and policies are at work, and individuals are ultimately subjected to various forms of violence. Against such policies, there is a need to defend the primary competence of the family in the area of sexuality,111 as opposed to the State and its restrictive policies, and to ensure that parents are suitably prepared to undertake their responsibilities.

Morally responsible openness to life represents a rich social and economic resource. Populous nations have been able to emerge from poverty thanks not least to the size of their population and the talents of their people. On the other hand, formerly prosperous nations are presently passing through a phase of uncertainty and in some cases decline, precisely because of their falling birth rates; this has become a crucial problem for highly affluent societies. The decline in births, falling at times beneath the so-called “replacement level”, also puts a strain on social welfare systems, increases their cost, eats into savings and hence the financial resources needed for investment, reduces the availability of qualified labourers, and narrows the “brain pool” upon which nations can draw for their needs. Furthermore, smaller and at times miniscule families run the risk of impoverishing social relations, and failing to ensure effective forms of solidarity. These situations are symptomatic of scant confidence in the future and moral weariness. It is thus becoming a social and even economic necessity once more to hold up to future generations the beauty of marriage and the family, and the fact that these institutions correspond to the deepest needs and dignity of the person. In view of this, States are called to enact policies promoting the centrality and the integrity of the family founded on marriage between a man and a woman, the primary vital cell of society, and to assume responsibility for its economic and fiscal needs, while respecting its essentially relational character.

Text: Caritas in Veritate on 'Respect for Life'

Pope Benedict's third encyclical is a mammoth work which will take some time to digest, but here is one important paragraph I'd like to highlight, Pope Benedict on beginning-of-life issues in our age:

28. One of the most striking aspects of development in the present day is the important question of respect for life, which cannot in any way be detached from questions concerning the development of peoples. It is an aspect which has acquired increasing prominence in recent times, obliging us to broaden our concept of poverty and underdevelopment to include questions connected with the acceptance of life, especially in cases where it is impeded in a variety of ways.

Not only does the situation of poverty still provoke high rates of infant mortality in many regions, but some parts of the world still experience practices of demographic control, on the part of governments that often promote contraception and even go so far as to impose abortion. In economically developed countries, legislation contrary to life is very widespread, and it has already shaped moral attitudes and praxis, contributing to the spread of an anti-birth mentality; frequent attempts are made to export this mentality to other States as if it were a form of cultural progress.

Some non-governmental Organizations work actively to spread abortion, at times promoting the practice of sterilization in poor countries, in some cases not even informing the women concerned. Moreover, there is reason to suspect that development aid is sometimes linked to specific health-care policies which de facto involve the imposition of strong birth control measures. Further grounds for concern are laws permitting euthanasia as well as pressure from lobby groups, nationally and internationally, in favour of its juridical recognition.

Openness to life is at the centre of true development. When a society moves towards the denial or suppression of life, it ends up no longer finding the necessary motivation and energy to strive for man's true good. If personal and social sensitivity towards the acceptance of a new life is lost, then other forms of acceptance that are valuable for society also wither away.67 The acceptance of life strengthens moral fibre and makes people capable of mutual help. By cultivating openness to life, wealthy peoples can better understand the needs of poor ones, they can avoid employing huge economic and intellectual resources to satisfy the selfish desires of their own citizens, and instead, they can promote virtuous action within the perspective of production that is morally sound and marked by solidarity, respecting the fundamental right to life of every people and every individual.

Full Text: Caritas in Veritate

Here is a word file with the full text of Pope Benedict's third encyclical, Caritas in Veritate:

caritasinveritate.doc

A brief table of contents:

• Introduction (Paragraphs 1-9)
• Chapter 1: The Message of Populorum Progressio (Paragraphs 10-20)
• Chapter 2: Human Development In Our Time (Paragraphs 21-33)
• Chapter 3: Fraternity, Economic Development and Civil Society (Paragraphs 34-42)
• Chapter 4: The Development of Peoples, Rights and Duties, The Environment (Paragraphs 43-52)
• Chapter 5: The Cooperation of the Human Family (Paragraphs 53-67)
• Chapter 6: The Development of Peoples and Technology (Paragraphs 68-77)
• Conclusion (Paragraphs 78-79)

update: Read the Vatican's own short summary of the encyclical here.

Tomorrow at 6am EST: Text of Caritas in Veritate, Pope Benedict's 3rd encyclical

Tomorrow at 12PM Rome-time (6AM EST) the embargo will be lifted on Pope Benedict's third encyclical letter:

ENCYCLICAL LETTER

CARITAS IN VERITATE

OF THE SUPREME PONTIFF

BENEDICT XVI

TO THE BISHOPS

PRIESTS AND DEACONS

MEN AND WOMEN RELIGIOUS

THE LAY FAITHFUL

AND ALL PEOPLE OF GOOD WILL

ON INTEGRAL HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

IN CHARITY AND TRUTH

Once the embargo is lifted I will post the full text as a Microsoft word document here on AmP. So check back then.

Report: Pope's social encyclical July 6 or 7, some key paragraphs revealed

I've fallen a bit behind on this story, so it's time to catch up. Here's the latest I've found:

The upcoming social encyclical of Pope Benedict XVI "Caritas in veritate" - Charity in truth - will bear the date of the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, June 29, but will likely become public on July 6 or 7, the Italian daily Corriere della Sera said on Saturday.

An article by Gian Guido Vecchi quotes what he claims are several original paragraphs of the Pope’s third encyclical. (CNA)

Especially of interest:

According to Vecchi, the encyclical will hardly be “good news to the liberals and bad news to the conservatives,” as claimed by some analysts who have not seen the text of the document.

“The Pope quotes Paul VI’s Populorum progressio, which in 1967 denounced the gap between rich and poor countries, but the encyclical also takes from Humanae vitae in criticizing abortion and contraception,” Vecchi writes.

The encyclical, in fact, is likely to say that “openness to life is at the core of every true development,” and regarding the ambiguous policies aimed at “reducing the need for abortion” by means of other social policies, the Pope warns that “if personal and social sensibility toward the welcoming of a new life is lost, even other forms of welcoming (life) useful to social life become fruitless.”

WoW.

Now to replace rumors with reality ... I'll see what more I can find out about the impending publication.

update: Pope Benedict announced today that he has in fact signed "Caritas in Veritas." It's only a matter of time now until we have the full text.

John Allen has published a preview of what he believes will be in the encyclical. Seems accurate to me.

Pope's next encyclical to be released June 29

So says the AP:

A Vatican cardinal says Pope Benedict XVI's encyclical on globalization and the poor is expected to be released June 29.

The ANSA and Apnews agencies have quoted Cardinal Renato Martino, who heads the Vatican's office for justice and peace, as saying the encyclical is expected to be released on the feast of St. Peter and Paul, a major day for the church.

Benedict has been working on "Caritas in veritate" (Charity in Truth) since 2007 but recently said he had held back on issuing it so that he could update it to reflect the global economic downturn.

If the rumor is true, that means Pope Benedict will be releasing this encyclical one day after bestowing the pallium on this year's new archbishops, including American archbishops Dolan and Carlson (am I forgetting anyone? update - yes I was: Vigneron!).

Ph/t: Brian Saint-Paul.

Vatican denounces errors behind the economic crisis

A topic I'm sure people aren't all too eager to revisit during the weekend, but bear the Pope out:

Referring to his forthcoming social Encyclical, the Pope then presented a synthetic overview of the crisis, analysing it at two levels. First he considered the macroeconomic aspects, highlighting the shortcomings of a system founded on selfishness and the idolatry of money, which cast a shadow over man's reason and will and lead him into the ways of error. Here the Church is called to make her voice heard - nationally and internationally - in order to help bring about a change of direction and show the path of true reason illuminated by faith, which is the path of self-sacrifice and concern for the needy.

The second aspect of the Holy Father's analysis concerned the sphere of microeconomics. Large-scale projects for reform, he said, cannot come about unless individuals alter their ways. If there are no just people, then there can be no justice. Hence he invited people to intensify their humble, everyday efforts for the conversion of hearts, an undertaking that above all involves parishes whose activity is not just limited to the local community but opens up to all humanity. (VIS)

Notice that this general topic apparently will find a place in the Pope's upcoming social encyclical, which I've blogged about before. I'm blogging on the fly right now so don't have a way of tracking down the latest projections for when this encyclical might be published. What have you heard?

"Before the end of this year" new date for Pope's 3rd Encyclical

The skinny:

Pope Benedict XVI’s social encyclical is very much alive and is expected to be published before the end of the year, Cardinal Renato Martino told reporters Wednesday.

“The project exists, and at this point it’s certain. We hope the pope can publish it before the end of the year,” Cardinal Martino said at a Vatican press conference.

Sources earlier this year said the encyclical was provisionally titled, “Caritas in Veritate” (”Charity in Truth,”) and was expected to touch on issues related to social justice and globalization. The encyclical has reportedly been undergoing some revisions, and there was a rumor floating around recently that it wouldn’t be out until next spring. (CNS Blog)

Earlier rumored target dates had ranged from "last month" all the way up to "April of next year."

End of this year sounds entirely reasonable, but then again, I haven't written many encyclicals.

In the meantime, you can still pre-order it.

Pope's next encyclical delayed until April 2009?!

That's what it now says on Amazon.

Que pasa?

Pope Benedict's third encylical to be published September 30th

At least it sure appears so, via Amazon.com and other online retailers.

Ignatius Press is once again the publisher, and summarizes:

Pope Benedict's third encyclical, Love in Truth("Caritas in Veritate"), applies the themes of his first two encyclicals --love and hope (God is Love, Saved in Hope) -- to the world's major social issues. Drawing on moral truths open in principle to everyone (the natural law) as well as on the teaching of the gospel (revelation), Pope Benedict addresses Catholics and non-Catholics alike, challenging us all to recognize and then to confront the social evils of our day.

The first part of the encyclical examines the dynamic teaching of Benedict's predecessors, Pope Paul VI and Pope John Paul II. Both men contributed greatly to the body of doctrine known as "Catholic social teaching". Both men challenged the simplistic division of political perspectives into "conservative" and "liberal", and "right" and "left". Both men were convinced that the natural moral law and the teaching of the Gospel were indispensable for a world in desperate search of hope and meaning.

In part two, Benedict surveys the social issues that confront the human race today--assaults on the dignity of the human person such as the attack on human life, poverty, issues of war and peace, terrorism, globalization, and environmental concerns. Benedict provides sound moral principles to address these social and economic problems, and to promote a culture of life and genuine peace.

Far from being a partisan political tract, Love in Truth avoids the posturing that dominates so much political discourse, yet without compromising the truth or love. In this outstanding work, Pope Benedict shows us why so many observers regard him as the world's leading moral voice, and one of the most insightful and profound social/political thinkers of our day.

Reserve your copy today!

Cardinal Bertone: New social encyclical as early as this fall

What he said:

A new social encyclical by Pope Benedict XVI will probably be entitled Caritas in Veritate, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone has revealed.

In an interview with the APCOM news agency, the Vatican Secretary of State disclosed that the Pope's next encyclical will not be ready for publication before the fall. "The encyclical is still being written," he said.

Cardinal Bertone said that Pope Benedict is also working on the second part of his book Jesus of Nazareth. The Pope typically devotes a substantial portion of his summer vacation to writing projects.

In his encyclical, the cardinal said, Pope Benedict "does not want to repeat obvious truths of Catholic social teaching," but will apply Church teachings to contemporary problems. "I am thinking of globalization and other problems, like the food crisis and climate change," Cardinal Bertone said.

Climate change? Oh boy.

Rumor: Third Papal Encyclical by May 1st, "Caritas in veritate"

CWNews:

A new papal encyclical on Catholic social teaching will be released on May 1, according to the Italian ANSA news agency.

The Vatican has not commented on the timing of the encyclical's appearance.

In an interview carried on February 29 by the Italian daily La Repubblica, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone confirmed reports that the Pope would soon release his third encyclical, and that it would be dedicated to "international social problems, with special focus on developing nations."

ANSA said that the encyclical will be entitled Caritas in Veritate ["Charity in Truth"], and will build upon the previous encyclicals Populorum Progressio by Pope Paul VI and Sollicituod Rei Socialis by Pope John Paul II.

The ANSA report said that the publication of the encyclical could possibly be delayed by difficulties in translating the document into Chinese.

Fr. Z reproduces the main points of Marco Tosatti writing for the daily La Stampa on the same topic.

Personally, I'd be very surprised to see this one released before mid-summer.

Social Encyclical expected as early as Easter, Cardinal Bertone confirms

CNA reports:

The Vatican's Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, confirmed today that Pope Benedict XVI is about to finish his Encyclical on social issues.

"Yes, the Pope is working on a social encyclical, which will have, I believe, a significant impact on the great social and economic problems in the contemporary world," said Cardinal Bertone during an interview published today by the Italian daily "La Repubblica."

....

The Secretary of State gave no clue as to when the document will be released, but unnamed sources from the Vatican quoted previously by the daily "Il Messaggero," said the third encyclical of Pope Benedict would be signed on the feast of St. Joseph –March 19th - and released during Easter.

"The encyclical will focus on international social problems, with special attention to developing countries," Cardinal Bertone told "La Repubblica."

Talking points for his April visit?

Pope to Youth: "Spe Salvi" Is for You

Benedict XVI is encouraging university students to have group reflections on the theme of hope in the modern world, using his encyclical "Spe Salvi."

The Pope spiritually entrusted his second encyclical to the young people today, in a traditional pre-Christmas encounter with Rome's university students.

...

"Is the theme of hope perhaps not particularly suitable for youth?" - Zenit

As I've said before, "Whatta Pope!"

Breaking out the big smile for the university students, too:

[photo: AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia]

Spe Salvi: Pope calls for Living Hope "daily" through prayer

I finished reading Pope Benedict's encyclical letter Spe Salvi last night. One of the themes that the pope often underscores is that hope must inspire us in our daily life.

I've provided the instances where the term "daily" is used by Pope Benedict in the encyclical to describe how the Christian person lives hope, namely, in their daily routine, efforts and life:

"Faith draws the future into the present [and] This explanation is further strengthened and related to daily life if we consider verse 34 of the tenth chapter of the Letter to the Hebrews, which is linked by vocabulary and content to this definition of hope-filled faith..." (#7-8)

"To live for [Christ] means allowing oneself to be drawn into his being for others. For Augustine this meant a totally new life. He once described his daily life in the following terms..." (#28-29)

"... our daily efforts in pursuing our own lives and in working for the world's future either tire us or turn into fanaticism, unless we are enlightened by the radiance of the great hope that cannot be destroyed even by small-scale failures or by a breakdown in matters of historic importance." (#35)

[A quotation from Vietnamese martyr Paul Le-Bao-Tinh:] "...I, Paul, in chains for the name of Christ, wish to relate to you the trials besetting me daily, in order that you may be inflamed with love for God and join with me in his praises, for his mercy is for ever." (#37)

"From the earliest times, the prospect of the Judgement has influenced Christians in their daily living as a criterion by which to order their present life, as a summons to their conscience, and at the same time as hope in God's justice." (#41)

"This looking ahead has given Christianity its importance for the present moment. In the arrangement of Christian sacred buildings, which were intended to make visible the historic and cosmic breadth of faith in Christ, it became customary to depict the Lord returning as a king—the symbol of hope—at the east end; while the west wall normally portrayed the Last Judgement as a symbol of our responsibility for our lives—a scene which followed and accompanied the faithful as they went out to resume their daily routine." (#41)

Pope Benedict's reflection on this topic finds its fullest expression and application in Paragraph #40, which completes Section II ("Action and suffering as settings for learning hope").

Keeping in mind what the Pope has already said about the importance of living hope "daily", see how he takes this truth and provides a practical way of expressing it, living it, in prayer:

"I would like to add here another brief comment with some relevance for everyday living.

There used to be a form of devotion—perhaps less practised today but quite widespread not long ago—that included the idea of “offering up” the minor daily hardships that continually strike at us like irritating “jabs”, thereby giving them a meaning.

Of course, there were some exaggerations and perhaps unhealthy applications of this devotion, but we need to ask ourselves whether there may not after all have been something essential and helpful contained within it. What does it mean to offer something up?

Those who did so were convinced that they could insert these little annoyances into Christ's great “com-passion” so that they somehow became part of the treasury of compassion so greatly needed by the human race.

In this way, even the small inconveniences of daily life could acquire meaning and contribute to the economy of good and of human love. Maybe we should consider whether it might be judicious to revive this practice ourselves." (#40)

The most famous example of this popular devotion (that I know about) is the Apostleship of Prayer. You can learn more about it briefly at Wikipedia, the Catholic Encyclopedia, or at their own website.

The text of the traditional prayer:

O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer You my prayers, works, joys, and sufferings of this day in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world. I offer them for all the intentions of Your Sacred Heart: the salvation of souls, reparation for sin, and the reunion of all Christians. I offer them for the intentions of our bishops and of all Apostles of Prayer, and in particular for those recommended by our Holy Father this month.

A shorter version, known commonly as the "morning offering":

O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer You my prayers, works, joys and sufferings of this day for all the intentions of Your Sacred Heart, in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world, in reparation for my sins, for the intentions of all our associates, and in particular for the intentions of our Holy Father for this month.

You can learn more about this prayer, and others like it, at this page.

I would propose that this Advent, at the beginning of the Church new year, as people of hope we should heed Pope Benedict's advice and resolve to continue or begin the fruitful practice of praying a morning offering daily.

Encyclical reporting and the "ginger factor"

Tom via Jeff:

The Ginger Factor, named for a well-known "Far Side" cartoon, is a measure of the ratio of words said to words understood. A dog named Ginger, for example, only understands the word "Ginger" in the sentence, "Okay, Ginger, if you get into the garbage one more time, you'll be spending the night outside."

I think most people, not just benighted reporters, experience a high Ginger Factor with most papal encyclicals; my post below includes a paragraph from an apostolic letter that has a high G.F. for me. Naturally, a reporter doesn't report on the parts of a papal statement that sound like, "Blah blah blah, blah blah blah blah. blah" And naturally, a reporter does recognize (and report on) the part that sounds like, "This means Senator Rawkins is being naughty."

As Jeff explains, in the case of Spe Salvi, all the reporters can really comprehend gets boiled down to the sentence "Pope blasts atheism", and he has quite a few example headlines to demonstrate that.

Hmm, I wonder notable cases of militant atheism we've been talking about could take note.

Full text of "Spe Salvi", Encyclical Letter of Pope Benedict XVI

The full text of the encyclical Spe Salvi (Saved by Hope) has been released on the Vatican website:

ENCYCLICAL LETTER

SPE SALVI

OF THE SUPREME PONTIFF

BENEDICT XVI

TO THE BISHOPS

PRIESTS AND DEACONS

MEN AND WOMEN RELIGIOUS

AND ALL THE LAY FAITHFUL

ON CHRISTIAN HOPE

• In case the Vatican website is slow, I've created a word document of the text and uploaded it here. CNA has published the text here. Zenit here (and PDF here). Reuters has published the excerpts it likes here.

Reuters coverage: "New Papal encylical blasts atheism, promises hope". CNA has coverage here.

John Allen has published his commentary here. More commentaries as I find them.

Udate: From today's Vatican bulletino:

• FIRM HOPE IS NECESSARY FOR FACING DIFFICULTIES
• SPE SALVI, THE POPE'S ENCYCLICAL ON CHRISTIAN HOPE

Update 2: CNS: "People need God to have hope, pope says in new encyclical" & Sandro Magister here.

I'll be printing out the encyclical today and reading the text over the weekend.

What a wonderful way to prepare for Advent!

[photo: REUTERS/Osservatore Romano (VATICAN)]

"Spe Salvi" - AmP Coverage of Pope Benedict's Second Encyclical

I am planning on waking up early tomorrow morning to provide comprehensive links and coverage of Pope Benedict's second encyclical "Spe Salvi" (on the theological virtue of Hope). So check back then!

What we know:

• The official press conference will be at 11:30am Rome time (6:30am EST)
• The encyclical is 81 pages long (update: CNS claims it is only 65). The Pope's first encyclical ("Deus Caritas Est"), by comparison was about 50 pages (I believe).
• "Spe Salvi" will be the 295th encyclical published since the first one was issued in 1740.
• It is not guaranteed that the text of the encyclical will be published tomorrow morning, but *ahem* we live in hope, and I'll do my best to find a reliable copy as soon as it's available.
• The Pope's last encyclical was signed Christmas Day, 2006, and released January 25th, 2007. It is believed that this encyclical will be published shortly after being signed, if not the same day.

Some advance reading:

Zenit just posted an interview with Monsignor Robert Sokolowski on the Pope's upcoming encyclical.

Irony of ironies - I just got out of my class with Msgr. Sokolowski. I wish he would tell me these things. :)

Let's not forget, the Pope's new encyclical - this Friday!

That's right. "Spe Salvi" will be published this Friday (morning, for those of us in the United States).

Jimmy Akin observes:

It is also notable that [Pope Benedict] is doing the theological virtues in the reverse order that they are normally given in. This may be a deliberate strategy on his part to play against the stereotype of him as a stern doctrinal enforcer.

What I'm particularly struck by, though, is the claim that the new encyclical will be signed and released the same day. To my mind, that's the way it ought to be, though so often the Holy See will sign something and then not release it for a long time. I haven't followed lately how often they've been doing that, but if there's a move to sign and release the same day, that's a good thing.

I'll be posting the links as soon as it is made available on Friday. It will probably be posted here.

Looks like I've already got my weekend reading lined up!

Pope's next encyclical (on hope) to be published Dec. 8th?

CNA reports the exciting news:

The Italian newspaper La Repubblica revealed today that Pope Benedict XVI has finalized his second encyclical on the subject of Christian hope, and that it should be published before Christmas, during Advent.

Benedict’s first encyclical, “Deus Caritas est”, was signed on Christmas Day 2005 and by the following month had been published in eight languages. His second encyclical is tentatively titled "Spe Salvi” (Saved by Hope) and takes its inspiration from St. Paul’s letter to the Romans, the newspaper reported. The potential title comes from the 24th verse of the eighth chapter of St. Paul's letter, which reads: "Because we have been saved by hope."

According to La Repubblica, the Holy Father wants to "reach the hearts of Christians and invite them to have hope, without being thrashed by pessimism."

The document, according to the same source, is being translated into several languages and could be signed by the Holy Father on December 8, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception and the anniversary of the close of Vatican II.

More as I find it.

Update: CWNews adds: "Dziennik says that the papal letter, which is about 70 pages long in its current draft form, is now being circulated among theologians for review and comments. The final version could be released before Christmas, the paper says."

Pope's Next Encyclical on ... Hope?(!)

From Italian reports, through Kreuz.net (German), and translated by Cathcon (thanks!):

All are expecting a social encyclical from the Pope very soon. But it won't be quite what was expected.

On which encyclical did the Pope work on the summer?

The Pope is writing an encyclical about hope. The Roman daily paper `the IL Messaggero' stated yesterday in an exclusive report.

To date, all had counted on the fact that the next teaching letter of the Pope will be a social encyclical .

But IL Messaggero knows now that the encyclical which is already nearly finished will be on hope.

It will appear before the social encyclical, of which Pope Benedikt XVI. while on his holidays in Lorenzago di Cadore had previously spoken to journalists.

It was not then known that the Pope in the silence of his alpine chalet wrote about hope.

Hope is that theological virtue, which refers to the longing of Christians for the highest blessedness in heaven.

`IL Messaggero' believes that this topic is relevant in times of uncertainty and relativism.

The newspaper mentions that the Pope deplored two years ago in a speech to the Mexican bishops that hope is exposed to a hard counter wind in view of the variable and complex present day conditions which also affect the church.

Thus the Pope appears to address also by this means the church collapse, which is not only limited to the rich countries of the western hemisphere.

The Pope would like to invite in his encyclical - according to Il Messaggero - to hope.

Christians are not to let themselves be frightened by pessimism, nihilism and human failure.

Friedrich Nietzche scoffed that hope is "the virtue of the weak“, as she distances Christians from "world progress“- `Il Messaggero':

The Pope has answered nihilism which which has been criticised again and again by him, with an encyclical.

The title of the teaching letter will depend on its first words.

According to the informration of `Il Messaggero', this has not yet definitely been decided on.

Also the publication date has not been publicly fixed.

Drew of the Whappsters adds:

I would not be surprised if the two rumored encyclicals are actually one and the same [previous rumors focused on a social topic as its subject]. Before Deus Caritas Est, we were told to expect a commentary on 1 John: it included some 1 John, but was more expansive than a simple commentary on 1 John. Perhaps, then, an encyclical on hope would also explore the social aspects of hope? It would not at all be difficult, as the social thought of il grande John Paul emphasized that labor which is divorced from the reverence and worship of God is cruel reduces man to an oppressive hopelessness.

... A number of people have pointed out that if there is an encyclical on hope, then we have a pattern: First Love, then Hope, then... Faith?

Previous posts on possible topics for Pope Benedict's next encyclical:

• September 23rd, 2007 "UK tabloid claim: "Pope to make climate action a moral obligation"
• August 15th, 2007
• June 20th, 2006

More as I hear it.

Pope's new encyclical to be released in a matter of days?!

The report, however unlikely (read: very), comes out of India's Economic Times:

MUMBAI: The Vatican, the seat of the Catholic Church, has decided to lend a helping hand to governments across the globe that are trying to tackle the menace of cross-border tax evasion. It will soon come out with an Encyclical denouncing tax evasion and the tax havens that deprive many governments of resources for social justice.

According to the reports in the foreign media, the Encyclical, an official statement of the Pope issued periodically by the Catholic Church, will be released within a few days. The office of the Archbishop of Mumbai said it will be able to comment on the issue only after the Encyclical is released.

It makes sense that Indian presses would be particularly involved in speculation regarding the new encyclical's subject matter and release date. As I understand it, India is particularly notorious for its problems with tax evasion, where actually paying one's taxes to the government is the exception: most people find some way around the laws ("In fact, money flowing into Swiss bank accounts from India is estimated at $500 billion.")

Tax evasion will also be a political issue during our upcoming elections. The release time of this encyclical, whatever it is, will be interesting in the context of those accompanying debates. The local inspiration for the encyclical could well be the recent crackdown on tax evasion in Italy, led by Romano Prodi [source], himself a practicing Catholic who has called upon the Church to speak out on this issue. 1/3 of Italians, it is known, heavily evade their tax debts, creating a huge deficit problem for the government [source]. The time frame, of course, also coincides nicely with the 40th anniversary of Paul VI's encyclical Populorum Progressio [source].

What do we know for sure about the Encylical? One, that it is being worked on during the Pope's vacation [source: Msgr. Ganswein & Fr. Lombardi] Second, the subject matter will include the topics of globalization, tax evasion and offshore banks, as well as outline just guidelines for world trade, with care for the poor [source].

Already the debate over the wisdom of the Pope's perceived position is getting hot, and I guess that it would be too much to ask that people cool off until the time when we actually have a published text to read.

Until then, I'll be watching the ticker tape.