Catholics in the Archdiocese of Omaha are being urged to keep praying for Pope Leo XIV, who is recovering in a Rome hospital after surgery that led to a lung cancer diagnosis. The pope, the first American to lead the Catholic Church, underwent surgery on Tuesday at Gemelli Hospital to remove a lung nodule. The Holy See Press Office later confirmed that the tumor removed from his right lung was cancerous.
The news has prompted a wave of prayer well beyond Nebraska. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops asked the faithful to keep praying for the pope's recovery and for the doctors and staff caring for him. The Archdiocese of New York asked for prayers that God would give him strength and peace. Catholics attending daily Mass across the United States have said they are praying the Rosary and offering adoration for the pope. Some parishioners described being surprised and saddened by the news, and one said she hopes for many more years of Pope Leo's leadership. At the Vatican on Wednesday, a Mass in St. Peter's Square marking an anniversary of Pope Francis's apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia included special prayers for the pope's health.
