Pope's first encyclical nearing release, say Vatican officials

Published: 2006-01-17

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- After a number of revisions, Pope Benedict XVI's encyclical on love, charity and Christianity was being prepared for release in mid-January, Vatican officials said. One source said Jan. 17 that translation work on the encyclical had just been completed that day, because of delays caused by changes in the text. The encyclical, the first by the new pope, is titled "Deus Caritas Est" ("God Is Love"), words taken from the first letter of St. John. Vatican sources described the text, about 50 pages in all, as a spiritual reflection on Christian love and erotic love, the church's work of charity and its mission to announce Christ. The source who spoke Jan. 17 said that an earlier version of the encyclical was circulated to Vatican departments and a small number of theologians last fall, resulting in a significant number of suggested changes. Subsequent editing of the text included wording modifications, new explanatory sections and revision of the conclusion, he said.

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