Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher said Pope Leo XIV’s lung cancer diagnosis is “a bit of a game-changer,” even as the pope continues with a Nov. 6–17 trip to Latin America.
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Pope Leo XIV’s lung cancer diagnosis is “a bit of a game-changer” for the Vatican, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher said Tuesday, while also noting the pope is recovering well from surgery and will proceed with a scheduled trip to Latin America next month.
Gallagher, the Holy See’s foreign minister, spoke to reporters at the Italian foreign press association. He said there had been a temptation to view Leo, elected in 2025, as a “Superman, a Superpope” after he “hit the ground running” following the long illness and death of Pope Francis.
“The fact that he has fallen ill with, in many ways, one of the most common illnesses of our age means that he is a poor mortal like the rest of us. And I think that that is going to change how we see him and possibly how he sees himself as well,” Gallagher said. He added: “Even if the operation has gone well, and everybody (says) there are grounds for considerable optimism, I think it is a bit of a game-changer at the same time.”
Leo, 71, had the lower lobe of his right lung removed Oct. 13 after doctors found a tumour later diagnosed as adenocarcinoma, described as the most common form of lung cancer. Subsequent tests indicated no further treatment is necessary, and the pope has been slowly resuming his daily activities.
The Vatican confirmed this week that Leo will go ahead with his planned Nov. 6-17 trip to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru, “without any changes to the program.” Gallagher said the published itinerary is challenging even for a healthy pope, involving a dozen flights and two helicopter rides covering 31,000 kilometres.
Gallagher said the pope chose not to delay the trip because “the pope simply wanted to go,” adding that “All of the medical advice is very positive, from a clinical point of view, so he feels he can go.” He noted Leo spent two decades as a missionary priest in Peru, where he has citizenship, and has said he remains closely attached to its people and to his former diocese of Chiclayo.
Looking beyond the Latin America tour, Gallagher predicted that Leo would visit the United States in the “not-too-distant future,” while saying the outcome of next month’s midterm elections might affect whether the trip comes in 2027 or later. He said no firm plans are in place, and mentioned preliminary discussions about timing a possible visit to coincide with the U.N. General Assembly in the fall or alongside a stop in Mexico.
Asked about where Leo’s interests may lie, Gallagher said it is “highly likely” the pope would travel to Australia in 2028 to close out the International Eucharistic Congress in Sydney. He also said other large trips expected include South Korea in August 2027 for World Youth Day.
Gallagher, a British veteran of the Vatican’s diplomatic service who served as foreign minister under Pope Francis, described Leo as pensive and focused, saying he is “not impetuous.” He said he does not know what Leo is thinking later on, but expects him to “stick to his plan” and “stick to revealing his plan.”
Gallagher also rejected the idea that the Vatican’s Italian-centric bureaucracy would thwart Leo’s agenda, saying: “I don’t think the Curia will eat him up.”
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