US and India Catholics Pray for Pope Leo Amid Lung Concerns

Pope Leo XIV, 71, was diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma after surgery to remove the lower lobe of his right lung; doctors described the tumor as small and localized, and said he is recovering. Vatican foreign secretary Archbishop Paul Gallagher said the diagnosis would require the Vatican to reconsider how the pope’s duties are managed. Catholics in Chicago and elsewhere have gathered to pray for his recovery. The news has also renewed attention to lung cancer among people who have never smoked: tobacco is a major risk, but other factors can contribute, and people who have never smoked generally are not included in current screening guidelines.