New Encyclical Will Focus on Social Teaching

Vatican, Feb. 29, 2008 (CWNews.com) - Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican Secretary of State, has confirmed reports that Pope Benedict XVI will soon release an encyclical on Catholic social teaching. Cardinal Bertone told the Italian daily La Repubblica that the Pope’s 3rd encyclical will deal with “international social problems, with special focus on developing nations.” The cardinal indicated that the papal encyclical will appear in the near future, but did not provide a date. Vatican-watchers have speculated that the document is likely to be released in March of early April. The first two encyclicals released by Pope Benedict, Deus Caritas Est and Spe Salvi, have been dedicated to the theological virtues, and the documents reflect the Pontiff’s own background as an academic theologian. In a story released earlier this month the French daily La Croix reported that the 3rd encyclical will be different, reflecting the “collective labor” of several different departments of the Vatican