Hope is on its way

Italy's La Stampa newspaper reports this morning that a papal encyclical on the virtue of hope will be published before Christmas, possibly as soon as December 8.

The document, which Pope Benedict wrote during his vacation this summer, is tentatively entitled Spe Salvi ("Saved by Hope"), an allusion to Paul's letter to the Romans (8:24).

This encyclical is one of two expected within the next few months. The other is said to treat Catholic social doctrine, and will reportedly focus on globalization.