Pope Francis' autobiography released in 80 countries

Source: Random House, Vatican Media

Pope Francis' widely-anticipated autobiography 'Hope' has been released today, in more than 80 countries, in several languages, in print and audiobook format.

This first memoir published by a sitting pontiff, written by the Pope in collaboration with Italian writer Carlo Musso, took six years to complete. Originally it was intended to be published after the Pope's passing, but the announcement of the new Jubilee of Hope in 2025 inspired him to make this legacy available now.

"The book of my life is the story of a journey of hope, a journey that I cannot separate from the journey of my family, of my people, of all God's people. In every page, in every passage, it is also the book of those who have traveled with me, of those who came before, of those who will follow," says Pope Francis.

"An autobiography is not our own private story, but rather the baggage we carry with us. And memory is not just what we recall, but what surrounds us. It doesn't speak only about what has been, but about what will be. It seems like yesterday, and yet it's tomorrow. All is born to blossom in an eternal springtime. In the end, we will say only: I don't recall anything in which You are not there."

With a wealth of revelations and unpublished stories, moving and very human, poignant and dramatic, some very humorous, Francis's memoir begins in the early years of the twentieth century with the story of his Italian roots and his grandparents courageous emigration to Latin America. It moves on to his childhood, adolescence, choice of vocation, adult life, covering the whole of his papacy up to the present day.

Narrating his memories, the Holy Father addresses crucial moments of his papacy and various important and controversial questions of our present times, including wars plaguing the world, the future of the Church and religion, social policy, migration, the environmental crisis, women, technological developments, and sexuality.

The publisher calls it "a touching moral and spiritual testament that will fascinate readers throughout the world and will be Pope Francis's legacy of hope for future generations."

The English language version of Hope is published by Random House. Italian publisher Mondadori is managing world rights.

For more information see: www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/2018233/pope-francis/