Last Testament In His Own Words by Pope Benedict XVI with Peter Seewald

Hardback: Since retiring from the papacy in 2013, the first Pope in over 700 years to do so, Pope Benedict has lived quietly in a convent in the Vatican gardens in Rome. He has devoted himself to a life of prayer and study and vowed to remain silent, until now.

So much controversy still surrounds Pope Benedict's time in office – in this book, written with bestselling German author Peter Seewald, he addresses the issues of his papacy and reveals how, at his late age, governing and reforming the Church was beyond him.

Last Testament In His Own Words (2016) is also an autobiography, recalling Pope Benedict's childhood in Germany under Nazism, his early development as a priest, and eventually his appointment as Archbishop of Munich. After becoming Pope, his account deals with the controversies that rocked the Catholic world – how he enraged Muslims with his Regensburg speech, what he did and did not do to stamp out the clerical sexual abuse of children, the 'Vatileaks' scandal and how he broke up a gay cabal within the Vatican itself.

At all times, we see a man who is shy and retiring and modest being exceptionally open and frank with the outside world. In this Last Testament In His Own Words, a unique book insofar as no other living Pope has had the opportunity to write an account having left office, Benedict gives in his own words an unprecedented view of the difficulties, the achievements and the consequences of his time as head of the Catholic Church worldwide.

Benedict breaks his silence on issues such as:

The "Vatileaks" case in which his butler leaked some of his personal letters that alleged corruption and scandal in the Vatican (the butler remains in jail)

The presence of a "gay lobby" within the Vatican and how he dismantled it

His alleged Nazi upbringing

His attempts at cleaning up the “dirt in the church” (clerical sexual abuse)

The mysterious private secretary “Gorgeous George”

Last Testament In His Own Words (2016) is translated from the German by Jacob Phillips. It was originally published in German as Benedikt XVI: Letzte Gespräche mit Peter Seewald (2016). 

About the authors: Pope Benedict XVI is widely recognized as one of the most brilliant theologians and spiritual leaders of our age. He served as Pope of the Catholic Church from 2005 to 2013. As Pope, he authored the best-selling Jesus of Nazareth; and prior to his pontificate, he wrote many influential books that continue to remain important for the contemporary Church, such as Introduction to Christianity and The Spirit of the Liturgy. Benedict XVI has written 66 books, three encyclicals, and three apostolic exhortations. Last Testament In His Own Words is his final book.

Peter Seewald is a veteran German journalist who has done two other internationally best-selling book length interviews with Joseph Ratzinger (now Benedict XVI): Salt of the Earth and God and the World. He is one of the most admired authors on religion in Germany today. He is also the author of Benedict XVI : An Intimate Portrait,  and the photo-biography, Pope Benedict XVI: Servant of the Truth.