Filipino Catholic bishops have called on the faithful to pray for Pope Leo XIV as he prepares to undergo surgery to remove a lung nodule detected at an early stage.
In an appeal issued Monday, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president Bishop Gilbert Garcera urged Catholics nationwide to unite in prayer for the pontiff’s successful operation and recovery.
“On behalf of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, I appeal to our Filipino Catholic faithful to unite in prayer for our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, as he prepares to undergo lung surgery,” Garcera said.
The Lipa archbishop also asked fellow bishops and priests to offer Masses for the Pope, while encouraging religious communities and families to pray the Holy Rosary and offer daily sacrifices and acts of charity for his healing.
“Let us pray that the Lord may guide his surgeons and all who care for him, sustain him with strength and peace, and restore him to health as he continues to shepherd the universal Church,” Garcera said.
Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David likewise called on Filipino Catholics to include the pontiff in their prayers and Eucharistic celebrations, particularly in the Diocese of Kalookan.
“I invite all our parish communities, religious congregations, and families, especially in the Diocese of Kalookan, to remember our Holy Father in their prayers and Eucharistic celebrations,” David said in a social media post.
He also prayed for the medical team and the Pope’s swift recovery.
“May the Lord guide the hands of his surgeons, grant him a successful operation and a speedy recovery, and sustain him with the strength, peace, and consolation of the Holy Spirit,” the Caloocan prelate said.
On Sunday, Pope Leo XIV disclosed that doctors had found a localized nodule in his lung. The condition was detected at a very early stage, according to the information provided.
Following medical advice, the pontiff decided to undergo surgery to remove the nodule. The operation is scheduled to take place at the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic Hospital in Rome.
Comments