Pope Leo XIV, the Catholic Church’s first American pope, was diagnosed with a common form of lung cancer Tuesday and underwent surgery to remove a growth from his lung that was discovered during a recent health checkup, the Vatican announced.
The 71-year-old pontiff, who calls Chicago home, is well respected by the more than 1 million Catholics across Wisconsin.
At the Church of the Gesu on Marquette University’s campus, the bells tolled and prayers were said for the church’s highest leader. Father Tim Kennedy, a priest at the church, said the pope’s surgery was a cause for concern…