Catholics in Rockford Pray for Pope Leo XIV After Lung Cancer Surgery
Catholics in Rockford are praying for Pope Leo XIV following his diagnosis with lung cancer and successful surgery to remove a lobe of his right lung, according to a statement from Bishop David Malloy of the Diocese of Rockford.
Rockford, IL, October 13, 2026 —
Catholics in Rockford are praying for Pope Leo XIV after he was diagnosed with lung cancer and underwent successful surgery to remove a lobe of his right lung, according to a statement from Bishop David Malloy of the Diocese of Rockford.
The statement, as described in the available information, links the local community’s prayers to the pope’s diagnosis and surgery. It does not provide further details about when the diagnosis was made or when the operation took place.
No additional medical information was provided, including the specific type of lung cancer, the pope’s current condition, or whether further treatment is planned. The information also does not specify how many people are praying or whether any public prayer events have been organized in Rockford.
The reported surgery removed a lobe from the right lung, and it was described as successful. No further details about the procedure or recovery were included. Bishop Malloy’s statement is the cited source for the account of prayers in Rockford and the information about the pope’s diagnosis and surgery.
The available account offers no timeline for updates or additional information from the Diocese of Rockford. It also does not include a direct quotation from Bishop Malloy. Further details about the pope’s health or the local response were not provided.
Story summarized from the original created by Laura Neuzil on www.rockfordnewsfirst.com, see more information here.
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