Pope Francis’ Diaries Set For Publication, Offering Reflections On His Years Leading The Vatican

Private journal entries kept by Pope Francis before and during his papacy are set to be published for the first time next month, offering readers an account of his personal reflections, struggles and prayers across more than three decades. Image, an imprint of Penguin Random House Christian Publishing Group, announced Monday that The Private Diary of Pope Francis will be released on November 24 in English and four other languages. The book is being published in partnership with Libreria Editrice Vaticana, the Vatican Publishing House, and is expected to provide a personal perspective on the late pontiff's years in the Church and at the Vatican. According to Image, the collection will offer an “extraordinary glimpse” into Francis' “hopes and fears, struggles and prayers.”

The writings span from December 1992, more than two decades before he was elected pope, through August 2024, about eight months before his death. The long period covered by the diaries is expected to document different stages of Jorge Mario Bergoglio's life, from his years as an Argentine church leader to his rise to the papacy and the final period of his life. The English edition has been translated from the original Spanish by Sister Bernadette Reis and edited and annotated by Víctor Manuel Fernández, an Argentine cardinal who heads the Vatican's Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith. The publication will make Francis' personal writings available to a wider international readership while retaining the original reflections through translation and editorial notes.

The diaries are being released after his death, giving readers access to writings that were not previously available as part of his public record. Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Argentina, Francis became the first pope from Latin America and the first pope from the Americas. Elected in March 2013, he was widely associated with a more informal and pastoral style of leadership. His papacy placed particular emphasis on humility, concern for the poor, migrants and people on the margins of society. He also travelled to countries outside the traditional centres of Catholicism, including places where Christian communities faced persecution and other difficulties. Francis also became a prominent voice during major global crises. During the coronavirus pandemic, he delivered one of his most memorable public messages from an empty St Peter's Square, calling for people to “row together” and support one another.

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His public interventions frequently combined religious themes with appeals for solidarity, peace and attention to vulnerable communities. The newly published diaries could provide additional insight into the private thoughts behind some of the issues and challenges that shaped his public ministry. His papacy was also marked by controversies and disagreements within and outside the Catholic Church. Francis faced criticism from conservative Catholics over his outreach to LGBTQ+ Catholics and his approach to several questions involving Church doctrine and pastoral practice. He was also criticised after comments concerning allegations surrounding Chilean Bishop Juan Barros and the late Chilean priest Fernando Karadima. The episode became one of the more difficult periods of his papacy and contributed to wider scrutiny of his handling of abuse-related allegations.

Francis also attracted international attention for his comments on migration and political issues. In 2016, responding to then-US presidential candidate Donald Trump's proposal to build a wall along the US-Mexico border, Francis said that someone who builds a wall to keep migrants out “is not Christian.” The remarks reflected his broader emphasis on migrants and refugees, while also drawing criticism from some political and religious groups. Francis published several books during his lifetime, including The Name of God Is Mercy and the memoir Hope. His final years were marked by continuing public duties despite health challenges, before he died on April 21, 2025, aged 88. He was later succeeded by Pope Leo XIV. The publication of The Private Diary of Pope Francis will now offer readers a different perspective on the former pope, through writings that trace his personal reflections from 1992 until months before his death.

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