Pope Francis' predecessor, Benedict XVI, handed him a large white box containing several confidential documents related to the "most difficult and painful situations" involving the Vatican. It included information on cases of corruption and child sexual abuse, according to 'Hope: The Autobiography, by Pope Francis', out on Tuesday.
"I have arrived this far, taken these actions, removed these people, now it's your turn," the autobiography quoted Benedict XVI as saying, The New York Post reported.
Pope Francis mentioned he "continued along his (Benedict XVI) path".
"From the very start of my papacy (back in 2013), I felt I was being called to take responsibility for all the evil committed by certain priests, who were many in number... With shame and repentance, the Church must seek pardon for the terrible damage that those clergy have caused with their sexual abuse of children," Francis wrote in the book.
Although Francis cites Benedict only in a few passages in his over 300-page autobiography, he has defended his predecessor and called him "a father and brother to me."
"Our relationship was always genuine and deep, regardless of a few tales that were made up by those determined to tell the opposite story," Francis added.
Pope Benedict stepped down in February 2013, citing a "lack of strength of mind and body". He died in 2022.
Before stepping down, he faced widespread criticism over the way he handled the sexual abuse scandals that put the Catholic Church into the spotlight. His departure was an unprecedented move in the history of the papacy, which had not seen a resignation for centuries.
Born as Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires in 1936, Francis was the first pope from Latin America. Since taking charge, Pope Francis has actively fought corruption. In 2021, he passed laws noting all the bishops and cardinals would be tried whenever they were suspected of criminal behaviour.
Besides this, he has also promoted financial transparency and has barred Vatican employees from receiving gifts worth over $45.
While Pope Francis has authored and co-authored around 90 different titles, his latest book -- Hope: The Autobiography -- was earlier supposed to be released only after his death. The new Jubilee of Hope year at the Vatican that began last month changed his mind, as per the book's ghostwriter.
Carlo Musso, who is an Italian editorial executive, worked with Pope Francis on the book for the last six years, according to an afterword.
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