Pope shares first message after lung cancer diagnosis

Pope Leo XIV thanked fellow Catholics for their prayers on Wednesday in his first message since he underwent surgery for lung cancer in Rome. “As you know, I have been unable to be among you during these days,” Leo wrote in a statement to Catholics participating in a symposium for the 10th anniversary of Amoris laetitia, a document written by his predecessor Pope Francis on the church’s work with couples and families. “I thank you warmly for your prayers and for the work you have done together. Your sharing of experiences and attentive listening are indeed a gift to the whole Church,” he said. “I ask you please to pray for me, as I pray for you.” Leo was diagnosed with pulmonary adenocarcinoma, a common type of lung cancer, during a 90-minute surgery in Rome yesterday wherein doctors removed the lower lobe of one of his lungs, according to medical staff who treated the pontiff. The pope’s recovery is “proceeding as expected,” Dr. Luigi Carbone and Professor Stefano Margaritora said in their statement. Leo was able to walk around his quarters in the hospital and ate breakfast and lunch. The pope announced his planned surgery in a speech over the weekend to faithful in St. Peter’s Square, saying that the “growth” on his lung was found at an early stage. The pope isn’t known to be a smoker and has made efforts to have a healthy lifestyle, but there is a history of cancer in his immediate family. His older brother Louis Prevost is currently in treatment for cancer, and their parents died of the disease in the 1990s. Pope Leo has cancelled all his public appearances until October 20 in light of his treatment, though he is due to embark on a long trip to South America next month.