Pope Francis has released his highly anticipated autobiography, Hope – an Autobiography, offering personal reflections on his life, beliefs, and the challenges of leading the Catholic Church. Published in over 100 countries, the 303-page volume is the first of its kind written by a reigning pope and reviews his journey from Buenos Aires to the Vatican.
Neil Thorns, spokesperson for CAFOD (the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development), praised the Pope for his focus on issues that resonate globally.
“He talks about the things people care about, whether it’s the climate crisis or migrants," Thorns said.
"His small gestures - like washing prisoners’ feet or opening a [Holy Door at Rebibbia Prison in Rome during the Jubilee Year] - make a big difference.”
Originally planned for release after his death, the pope decided to publish the book during the ongoing Catholic Holy Year.
Thorns compared it to the timing of Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical, Laudato Si, which was published ahead of the Paris Agreement to influence global climate policy.
“This autobiography is there to inspire us as pilgrims of hope,” he said, referencing the Jubilee theme.
Thorns highlighted the Pope’s enduring focus on humanity’s pressing issues: “From the pandemic to the climate crisis and migration, he’s always advocated for the poor and excluded. He doesn’t just speak; he acts, and that’s what makes him relatable.”
The book also addresses speculation about a potential resignation, following the precedent of Pope Benedict XVI. Pope Francis made it clear he would only step down if his health made it impossible to continue.
“I am well,” he writes. “The reality is, quite simply, that I am old. The Church is governed using the head and the heart, not the legs.”
Francis, who now often uses a wheelchair due to knee and back pain, has faced several health challenges, including surgeries for diverticulitis and a hernia in recent years. Despite this, he reiterated that he has never considered stepping down.
The book also addresses controversial decisions, such as the 2024 move to allow blessings for same-sex couples on a case-by-case basis. “It is the people who are blessed, not the relationships,” Francis states. “Everyone in the Church is invited [for a blessing], including people who are divorced, including people who are homosexual, including people who are transgender. Homosexuality is not a crime, it is a human fact.”
While widely praised, the autobiography has not been without criticism. Catholic commentator Austin Ivereigh called it “long-winded” and “riddled with errors" in a review for The Tablet, yet acknowledged its significance, saying:
“Francis gives us urgent, heartfelt reflections on the current age, a call to conversion that shines brightly against the darkening of our time.”
