Pope Leo XIV's Early Writings in English Set for Release

A highly anticipated collection of early writings by Pope Leo XIV will be published in English for the first time this fall, offering the global public an unprecedented look at the spiritual and intellectual foundation of the first American pontiff.

The volume, titled Freedom Under Grace: Reflections on the Spiritual Tradition That Formed Me, is scheduled for international release on September 15, 2026, by Image Books, an imprint of the Penguin Random House Christian Publishing Group.

The 432-page anthology compiles homilies, public addresses, personal letters, and messages written by Father Robert Francis Prevost between 2001 and 2013, during his tenure as the Prior General of the Order of Saint Augustine.

Prior to his historic election to the papacy on May 8, 2025, the Chicago-born pontiff had never published a book. According to Vatican officials, Pope Leo XIV personally curated these previously unpublished texts shortly after ascending to the Chair of Saint Peter to share the foundational spirituality that has guided his ministry.

"Each chapter is a window into the spiritual depth and vision of the man who would eventually become Pope Leo," said Campbell Wharton, senior vice president and publisher at Penguin Random House Christian, in a Vatican News article. "It carries an urgent message of love and service to address the challenges of the world today."

The book’s title is drawn directly from the Rule of Saint Augustine, in which the 5th-century Saint urges his monastic followers to live "not as servants under the law, but as men free under grace." The texts articulate an inspiring vision deeply rooted in classic Augustinian theology, emphasizing: The Interior Life: a focus on prayer and the relentless human search for God; Radical Solidarity: a firm pastoral commitment to social justice, community life, and the marginalized; and finally, Modern Engagement: the necessity of communicating the Gospel in a language that is both intelligible and hopeful to a modern, highly secularized, and deeply divided society.

In an excerpt shared by the publisher from a 2002 homily, the future pope challenged his fellow friars to resist material attachments: "We are called to be fully human in the midst of an inhuman society... As Augustinians, we are called to promote life, in the depths of what it means to be truly human."

Originally published in Italian by the Vatican Publishing House (Libreria Editrice Vaticana) as Liberi sotto la Grazia, the collection is currently being translated into roughly 30 languages.

During a presentation of the Italian edition in Rome, Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin praised the work, noting that the pages illuminate the "pastoral vision and missionary concern" that defined the Pope long before his election.

Publishing experts predict Freedom Under Grace will be one of the most significant religious releases of the year, appealing not only to Catholics but to any spiritual seeker looking for hope and guidance in navigating the complexities of the modern world.