COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 24, 2026)—Image Books, an imprint of the Penguin Random House Christian Publishing Group, is delighted to announce the September 15, 2026, publication of Freedom Under Grace: Reflections on the Spiritual Tradition That Formed Me, the first published writings of Robert F. Prevost—now Pope Leo XIV—selected by the Holy Father after his election to the papacy in May 2025. World English rights were acquired by Senior Editor Matthew Burdette from Libreria Editrice Vaticana.
“It’s our great privilege to present this inspiring book to readers. Each chapter is a window into the spiritual depth and vision of the man who would eventually become Pope Leo, with an urgent message of love and service to address the challenges of the world today,” says Campbell Wharton, SVP & Publisher, PRH Christian. “It’s a book for any Catholic, but also any Christian or spiritual seeker looking for guidance and hope for living a life that transforms the world.”
The book will be published simultaneously in the British Commonwealth with Cornerstone, a division of Penguin Random House UK. UK & Commonwealth rights were acquired by Publishing Director Ben Brusey, and the book will be the launch title for Cornerstone’s new spirituality imprint.
Freedom Under Grace showcases homilies, addresses, and writings from Prevost’s 12 years (2001 to 2013) overseeing the Order of Saint Augustine as its Prior General. The collection allows readers to witness the spiritual formation and development of the man who would become pope—in his own words, written before he or anyone imagined his future role in the Church. An excerpt from the upcoming volume is available at FreedomUnderGrace.com.
Drawing deeply from the spirituality and perspective of Saint Augustine, whom he calls his spiritual father, Prevost advances a vision of the spiritual life rooted in community and solidarity, a dogged commitment to the poor and marginalized, and the conviction that the gospel is the message that our restless and divided world most urgently needs.
“We are called to be fully human in the midst of an inhuman society. Christian holiness is love, and is born in our hearts,” writes Prevost. “As Augustinians, we are called to promote life, in the depths of what it means to be truly human; we must promote those values that make true humanity possible: peace and justice, the richness present in all cultures, the beauty of creation in nature. To be truly human requires an attitude of service to others and openness to authentic dialogue.”
At the heart of the collection is the belief that has guided Prevost’s whole life: “Man is not defined by what he possesses or what he knows, but rather by what he loves.” Freedom Under Grace is not the writings of an out-of-touch academic, but of a pastor—one who is deeply attentive to the needs of the human heart.
The book offers an utterly unique portrait of the first American and first Augustinian pope, and essential reading for anyone seeking Pope Leo’s wisdom, theological insight, and moral courage.
Robert Francis Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, was born on the South Side of Chicago in 1955, the son of a school superintendent and a librarian. After studying mathematics at Villanova University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Prevost made solemn vows in the Order of Saint Augustine and was ordained as a priest in Rome in 1982. He became a missionary in Peru in 1985. Prevost served as Prior General of the Order of Saint Augustine from 2001 to 2013, was consecrated bishop in 2014, and made a cardinal in 2023. On May 8, 2025, he was elected to the papacy, becoming the first-ever American pope.
Image Books is an imprint of Penguin Random House Christian Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC. It has been dedicated to publishing solid, unswerving, admirable Catholic resources for over fifty years. For more information, visit https://sites.prh.com/
Media Contacts:
Becca Schriner, Asst. Publicity Director – rschriner@penguinrandomhouse.
Ava Perego, Publicity Assistant – aperego@penguinrandomhouse.com, Penguin Random House Christian Group
