I’m not making a habit of frequent posts. But I’m rather pope-conscious this week.
The three-minute video says our pope is doing well, under the circumstances, and that it’s “business as usual” at Gemelli Hospital, except for the Pope recovering from surgery there.
EWTN News Nightly also did brief interviews with folks associated with Gemelli, and an even shorter introduction to St. Peregrine.
“Peregrine Laziosi (Pellegrino Latiosi; c. 1260 – 1 May 1345) is an Italian saint of the Servite Order (Friar Order Servants of Mary). He is the patron saint for persons suffering from cancer, AIDS, and other life-threatening illnesses. …
“…One of the special penances he imposed on himself was to stand whenever it was not necessary to sit. When tired, he would support himself on a choir stall. At the age of 60, he developed an infection in his right leg. His condition deteriorated to the point that the physician decided to amputate his leg.
“The night before the operation, Laziosi spent time praying before a fresco of the crucifixion in the chapter room. He fell into a deep trance-like sleep and seemed to see Jesus descend from the cross to touch his leg.
“The following day, the doctor arrived to perform the amputation, and, finding no sign of the cancer, news of the miraculous cure spread throughout the town….”
(St. Peregrine, Wikipedia) [emphasis mine]
I was going to put some of the following into my scheduled ‘Saturday’ post, but figure it’s a better fit here.
Looks like the nodule in one of Leo XIV’s lungs was cancerous. Now he’s missing part of his right lung:
The Pope’s words at the Angelus prayer, 11.10.2026 (October 11, 2026)
“…Dear friends, during some recent medical examinations, the doctors found a small, localized nodule in my lung. It was detected at a very early stage and is well-localized. The doctors believe that it is best to intervene, so, following their advice, I have decided to undergo surgery to remove it. The operation is already scheduled to take place in the coming days. I thank you for your spiritual closeness and entrust myself to your prayers.”“Pope Leo has calm night in hospital after successful lung surgery”
Vatican News (October 14, 2026)
“‘The night passed calmly for the Pope. Further information will be provided later today,’ the Holy See Press Office said on Wednesday, the morning after Pope Leo underwent a successful lung operation with no complications.
“Pope Leo XIV underwent surgery at Gemelli Hospital, during which doctors removed the lower lobe of his right lung….
“…’An intraoperative histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma, as suspected from the preoperative examinations,’ the doctors said.
“The Pope was in the operating room for approximately three hours, while the operation itself lasted about 90 minutes. The doctors said it was successful and there were no complications….”“Pope Leo’s postoperative recovery progressing well”
Vatican News (October 14, 2026)
“…’The Holy Father has undergone respiratory physiotherapy and has begun walking around his room. He has resumed eating normally and had breakfast and lunch,’ it [the Holy See Press Office statement] added. ‘His recovery is proceeding as expected.’…”
Headlines, Words, and Miracles
I’ve been seeing words like “shock” and “stuns” in my news feed’s headlines about the pope’s diagnosis and operation: and not from what I’ll call tabloid news. I suppose that sort of, ah, drama comes with the job.
A word I haven’t seen yet in discussions of Leo XIV’s so-far-successful surgery is “miracle”.
I sooner or later someone may say that his recovery was “a miracle”.
But if that idea remains unexpressed, that’s fine by me; mainly because, so far, nothing I’ve read about the diagnosis and surgery strikes me as miraculous.
A good example of health care, involving very up-to-date technology, yes.
Miraculous, no.
“MIRACLE: A sign or wonder, such as a healing or the control of nature, which can only be attributed to divine power. The miracles of Jesus were messianic signs of the presence of God’s kingdom (547).”
(Glossary, Catechism of the Catholic Church)
Books could be and have been written about the miracles of Jesus. I’m not going to do that, but I will share some of what the Catechism says.
“547 Jesus accompanies his words with many ‘mighty works and wonders and signs’, which manifest that the kingdom is present in him and attest that he was the promised Messiah.
548 The signs worked by Jesus attest that the Father has sent him. They invite belief in him. To those who turn to him in faith, he grants what they ask. So miracles strengthen faith in the One who does his Father’s works; they bear witness that he is the Son of God. But his miracles can also be occasions for ‘offence’;[!] they are not intended to satisfy people’s curiosity or desire for magic Despite his evident miracles some people reject Jesus; he is even accused of acting by the power of demons.
549 By freeing some individuals from the earthly evils of hunger, injustice, illness and death, Jesus performed messianic signs. Nevertheless he did not come to abolish all evils here below, but to free men from the gravest slavery, sin, which thwarts them in their vocation as God’s sons and causes all forms of human bondage.”
(Catechism of the Catholic Church, 547-549) [emphasis mine]
Basically, Jesus performed miracles at least partly to show that he was who and what he said he was: God. A fair number of folks accepted the idea. A little later, when Jesus stopped being dead: well, that’s another topic.
The Usual Links
I’ve talked about Jesus, miracles, and health before:
- “Pope Leo XIV: Surgery Today” (October 13, 2026)
- “Called to Holiness, Not Stupidity” (June 7, 2025)
- “Just Who is This Jesus Person, and Who Does He Think He is?” (October 8, 2022)
- “Miracles” (August 13, 2017)
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