"Spe salvi" to be presented on November 30th

From the Vatican Information Service:

VATICAN CITY, NOV 23, 2007 (VIS) - The new Encyclical of Benedict XVI, "Spe salvi," will be presented in the Holy See Press Office at 11.30 a.m. on Friday, November 30. The document will be presented by Cardinal Georges Marie Martin Cottier O.P., pro-theologian emeritus of the Pontifical Household, and by Cardinal Albert Vanhoye S.J., professor emeritus of New Testament exegesis at the Pontifical Biblical Institute.

And from today's edition of The Times:

As cardinals gathered around the world today for an extraordinary consistory it was announced that Pope Benedict XVI would shortly issue the second encyclical of his papacy, on the theme of "Christian hope".

The 81-page letter to be sent to the world’s bishops was written during the summer both at the Pope's retreat in the mountains of northern Italy, Lorenzago di Cadore, and his summer residence at Castelgandolfo. The document will exhort Christians not to be afraid in the face of world upheavals, violence, rapid change and "human dramas" but rather to embrace "hope founded on faith".

The Cardinal Secretary of State, Tarcisio Bertone, said the Pope would sign the document on 30 November, but did not say when the text would be published. It will be the 295th papal encyclical since the first was issued in 1740, and will be entitled "Spe Salvi".

Pope Benedict's first encyclical was issued in January 2006 on charity and divine love, with the title "Deus Caritas Est." He is working on another encyclical on social and economic issues in an age of globalisation, but has decided to release the encyclical on hope first, Vatican sources said.

Comments

[Jackson]

Many will no doubt be disappointed by what appears to be softness. First "God is Love" and now "Saved by Hope." Yet the Spirit works in mysterious ways.

[MMajor Fan]

I believe by his choice of topics and the order of release, and of course the actual contents, that he is deliberately steering people away from popularized and incorrect apocalyptic mentality, which is a vital priority of his. When people become apocalyptic oriented they are tempted even further away from the true faith. People give up on being "good" and living and improving the real world as Jesus would, and rather, become apocalypse adrenaline junkies or defeated by despair.

[Jackson]

Strange how so few have anything to say about this, eh MMajor? Biting their tongues?

[Carl Olson]

Many will no doubt be disappointed by what appears to be softness.

But, of course, those who read what the Holy Father writes about love, hope, faith, etc., will find no softness at all, at least no softness of mind. The commonplace—and wrongheaded—reaction of many in the MSM to Deus Caritas Est was to think: "Ah, he's writing about love. He might be one of us after all!" Yet this was only because they immediately assumed that everyone, including the Pope, believes that love is some sort of vague, sentimental impulse to do as you wish, according to what makes you feel good, fulfilled, whole, alive, and so forth. Benedict emphasized that love is based in objective truth—in Truth Himself—and flows from the gift of self, which includes the denial of one's lusts, passions, and mis-oriented desires. Based on his wonderful book on eschatology, which talks a lot about the true nature of the theological virtue of hope, I suspect that Benedict's new encyclical will not be some "pie in the sky" bit of rambling, but more of the clear, challenging work that he has so consistently produced already.

[Brian John Schuettler]

I highly recommend Carl's recent article on Hope at This Rock. It will serve as a very capable introduction to Benedict's new encyclical.

[Carl Olson]

Thank you, Brian, for the kind recommendation. The article can be read here.

[Jane M. Thibault]

Part II, section 40 calls for renewal of the practice of 'offering it (sufferings) up'. I have been teaching Protestants (and some Catholics) how to do this alone and within group settings, to deal with the sufferings that come with the aging process. Have found that this practice makes unavoidable (innocent) suffering meaningful and thus bearable. I would like to hear from others who practice this devotional. I started calling it the old 'redemptive suffering,' changed it to 'intercessory suffering' and now lead groups entitled 'dedicated suffering groups.' Am very excited that the Pope is recomemnding it again! (I am a clinical professor of Family and Geriatric Medicine at the University of Louisville in louisville, KY). Jane Thibault