(OSV News) — Shortly after Pope Leo XIV announced he will undergo surgery to remove a lung nodule, Catholic bishops, clergy, religious and other faithful in the U.S. and Canada offered their promise of prayers for his recovery.
The 71-year-old pope disclosed during his Oct. 11 Angelus address that doctors had found a “localized nodule” in his lung.
He said the nodule was “detected at a very early stage” during “some recent medical examinations.”
Matteo Bruni, director of the Holy See press office, said the operation will take place this coming week at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital.
The “estimated post-recovery time will be about one week,” said Bruni.
Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, swiftly promised prayers for the U.S.-born Pope Leo.
“The bishops of the United States join with the faithful and all people of good will in praying for his good health,” Archbishop Coakley said in a statement provided to OSV News. “May the hand of Pope Leo’s surgeons be guided by the divine physician Jesus Christ.”
The archbishop added, “Please find a moment today, as I will, to offer a prayer for Pope Leo and his care team.”
In an Oct. 11 statement provided to OSV News, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops said it united “with the faithful in prayer” for Pope Leo’s health.
Outpouring of support for Pope Leo
“We seek the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Health of the Sick, asking for a prompt recovery for the Holy Father following his upcoming surgery,” said the Canadian bishops.
“I ask all of the people of the Archdiocese of Washington to raise their prayers to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit that Pope Leo may be sustained in the fullness of health and lead the Church on its pilgrimage of grace and hope with the same vision, holiness, sacrifice and pastoral compassion that have marked his pontificate at every moment since he assumed the Chair of Saint Peter,” said Cardinal Robert W. McElroy of Washington in an Oct. 11 message posted by Catholic Standard, the Archdiocese of Washington’s news outlet.
The cardinal — currently in Rome for the Vatican’s conference marking the 10th anniversary of Pope Francis’ apostolic exhortation “Amoris Laetitia” — added, “I would also ask every priest of the Archdiocese to offer Mass for Pope Leo and his health in these days.”
In an Oct. 11 Facebook post, Archbishop Ronald A. Hicks of New York said he joined “with the bishops, priests, faithful, and all people of good will of the Archdiocese of New York in praying for our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, as he prepares for his surgery later this week.”
The archbishop, currently completing a week-long pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago — the ancient network of pilgrimage routes through Europe to the tomb of St. James in Santiago de Compostela, Spain — said, “Pope Leo will have an even greater remembrance in my prayers” to “Jesus, the Divine Physician” to guide the pope’s doctors and care team.
Augustinians: ‘We believe strongly in the power of prayerful petitions’
“We believe strongly in the power of prayerful petitions,” Father Joseph Farrell, prior general of the Augustinian Order of which Pope Leo is a member, told OSV News by email.
He added, “The Augustinian brothers and sisters across the globe are praying for our brother Pope Leo XIV. We are praying also for the doctors and entire medical staff who will be assisting him in surgery in the coming days.”
The Augustinian Order issued an Oct. 11 message of support saying, “As Augustinians, we pray together for the health of Pope Leo XIV.”
“May God bless the Holy Father and his doctors during his upcoming surgery for a nodule found in his lung during a recent exam,” said the order in its message, which was provided in Italian, English, Spanish, French and Portuguese.
Augustinian Father Tom McCarthy, prior provincial of the Our Mother of Good Counsel province to which Pope Leo belongs, told OSV News he and his Augustinian brothers “are very sad to hear that Pope Leo needs surgery.”
“But,” he added, “we are grateful it was caught early. We are offering prayers for the Holy Father and for his doctors, surgeons, nurses, and medical staff who will be caring for him. We are asking everyone to pray for Pope Leo.”
Villanova University, Pope Leo’s alma mater, said in an Oct. 11 X post that it “joins the global Church in prayer for Pope Leo as he prepares to undergo surgery.”
“May God grant the Holy Father strength, healing and a full recovery in the days ahead,” said the university.
Gina Christian is a multimedia reporter for OSV News. Follow her on X @GinaJesseReina.
