Catholics around the world will soon be offered an extraordinary glimpse into the private spiritual reflections of Pope Francis through notes spanning more than three decades of his life.
The Vatican Publishing House is preparing to release The Private Diary of Pope Francis on Nov. 24, 2026, according to Vatican News. The book, written by Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith and a close collaborator of the late pontiff, will present and comment on personal notes kept by Jorge Mario Bergoglio from 1992 through 2024.
The writings cover a remarkable period in Francis’ life, beginning more than 20 years before his election to the papacy and continuing until less than a year before his death on April 21, 2025.
According to Vatican News, the notes date specifically from Dec. 20, 1992, through Aug. 18, 2024, offering readers a window into the interior life of the man who would lead the Catholic Church for more than 12 years.
Andrea Tornielli, Editorial Director of the Dicastery for Communication, said the publication will help Catholics and other readers better understand Francis beyond his public ministry.
“We are very honoured to publish this text by Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, which presents Pope Francis’ Diary to the public,” Tornielli said, according to Vatican News.
“Through this book, which we believe readers around the world will appreciate, we will be able to gain an even deeper understanding of the Argentine Pope’s inner life,” he added.
Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, became Pope on March 13, 2013. The personal notes contained in the forthcoming book therefore encompass years from both before and during his pontificate.
The scale of the publication will also make the reflections accessible to Catholics throughout much of the world.
According to Vatican News, The Private Diary of Pope Francis will be released simultaneously in five languages and distributed across 94 countries. The Vatican Publishing House will publish the Italian edition, while branches of Penguin Random House will publish editions in English, Spanish and Portuguese. Éditions Albin Michel will publish the French edition.
Lorenzo Fazzini, Editorial Director of the Vatican Publishing House, said the project reflects the publisher’s mission of bringing papal writings to an international audience.
“The Vatican Publishing House works to bring the words of the Popes to readers internationally,” Fazzini said, according to Vatican News.
He noted that the publishing house has also overseen the publication and distribution of writings by Robert F. Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, from his years as Prior General of the Augustinians.
“We are truly pleased that we will soon be able to make these personal pages by Pope Francis available to readers in Italy and, through various publishers, around the world, in a book written by one of his closest collaborators, Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández,” Fazzini said.
Before its worldwide release, the Vatican Publishing House plans to introduce the book to international publishers during the Frankfurt Book Fair, scheduled for October 7–11, 2026.
For Catholics who followed Francis throughout his pontificate, the forthcoming volume promises something different from his public homilies, encyclicals, interviews and speeches. Rather than focusing solely on the Pope as a global Church leader, the book will present personal writings stretching across 32 years of his life.
When The Private Diary of Pope Francis reaches readers on November 24, those pages may offer a rare opportunity to encounter more closely the thoughts and interior reflections of the Jesuit who became the 266th Pope.
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