VATICAN CITY -- With a busy schedule on the horizon, Pope John Paul is going back to work. Officials say the absence of an announcement on the pope's condition is an indication that he's feeling better.

The pope skipped a general audience Wednesday due to a mild intestinal problem. The Vatican says John Paul planned to resume his regular schedule on Thursday.

He'll head back to Vatican City Thursday, a day earlier than planned, after spending part of the summer at his vacation home south of Rome.

In October, the Pope's schedule includes a meeting with the Archbishop of Canterbury. The U.S. Episcopal Church's decision to elect an openly gay bishop will be a likely topic.

John Paul also plans to make a pilgrimage to a shrine in Pompeii, near Naples. On Oct. 16, he celebrates his 25th anniversary as pope.

And three days later, he's due to beatify Mother Teresa in a ceremony expected to attract tens of thousands of people to St. Peter's Square.