THE COMPLAINTS DEPARTMENT IS SHUT
During routine abdominal examinations of Pope Leo XIV, doctors discovered a small spot at the base of the lung. It is known as a ‘lung adenocarcinoma.’ Otherwise called lung cancer.
Specialist doctors suggested surgery. The pope acquiesced.
From all reports it went well:
The lower lobe of the right lung was removed. The operation went ahead without complications. The postoperative recovery has gone well (Prof. Dr. Stefano Margaritora).
The pope made things easy for the doctors, nurses and staff:
Pope Leo was an ideal patient. He was always serene, always smiling, and rarely complained, despite the pain a person inevitably feels, even with all the measures we take.
Ever had the experience of asking how someone is, and then 30 minutes later regretting you asked the question?
Painful stuff.
Not with Leo. With him the complaints department is well and truly shut.
And the professor observed something else well worth our reflection:
On the second day after the operation, we turned around and found the pope arranging the chairs in the chapel himself.
We said, ‘Holy Father, we can do that.’
The pope said, ‘It doesn’t matter, I can do it, so I will.’
AMEN.
