Full Breakdown
Pope Francis’s Private Diary Set for Global Release
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Announcement and Release Schedule
The Vatican and Penguin Random House announced on October 5 that a private diary of Pope Francis will be issued on November 24 in 94 countries. The 144-page volume will appear in Italian (Libreria Editrice Vaticana), Spanish, English and Portuguese (Penguin Random House), and in French from November 25 (Albin Michel).
Content and Scope of the Diary
Titled *The Private Diary of Pope Francis*, the book compiles entries written between December 20 1992 and August 18 2024—covering the decade before his election and the bulk of his papacy. The selections aim to give readers “an extraordinary glimpse” into the pontiff’s hopes, fears, struggles and prayers.
Key Contributors
- Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández – Argentine cardinal who heads the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith; edited and annotated the diary.
- Sister Bernadette Reis – translated the Spanish original into English.
- Campbell Wharton – senior vice-president and publisher of Penguin Random House Christian, who acquired the project.
- Gilles Haeri – president of Albin Michel, overseeing the French edition.
Official Statements & Verbatim Quote
The Vatican described the forthcoming text as “of exceptional value and importance,” saying it will illuminate the personality of the first Latin American pontiff, who led the Church from March 13 2013 until his death on April 21 2025.
“Through his own words, readers will gain a deeper understanding of Pope Francis during some of the most important periods of his spiritual life,” — Campbell Wharton, SVP and publisher of Penguin Random House Christian
Publication Details and Reach
The collaboration between Image (an imprint of Penguin Random House Christian Publishing Group) and the Vatican Publishing House will make the diary available in five languages across 94 nations. The release follows Pope Francis’s earlier memoir *Hope* and other works such as *The Name of God Is Mercy*, extending public access to his personal reflections after his passing.