Archbishop Lori Wishes Pope Francis Well Following Colon Surgery
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Archbishop William E. Lori said Tuesday he and the Archdiocese of Baltimore extend well wishes to Pope Francis, who had planned surgery Sunday to remove one side of his intestine to treat colon diverticulitis.
The 84-year-old pope is beloved by many around the world, not just Catholics, Lori said in a statement.
"We are encouraged by the good news out of the Vatican stating the positive results following Pope Francis's surgery. We continue to offer our personal prayers as well as those of my fellow bishops, priests and all the faithful of the Archdiocese of Baltimore for the quick and full recovery of the Holy Father," he said. "I know our prayers are joined by all who share his quest for fraternity and reconciliation among all humanity. May God bless him and keep him in his love."
CNN quoted the Holy See's communications office as saying the procedure was "a scheduled surgical intervention for a symptomatic stenotic diverticulitis."
Diverticulitis is an inflammation caused when people develop small sacs in the walls of the colon.
The sacs or pouches are called diverticuli. It's usually symptomless, but can cause discomfort and, sometimes, bleeding.
It's a common condition affecting more than half of adults in the United States, according to the US National Institutes of Health, and is more common as people age.
