Prayers pour in for Pope Leo ahead of his surgery to remove a nodule from his lung

 

People around the world have united in prayer for Pope Leo XIV (ANSA)

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Christian leaders unite in prayer for Pope Leo XIV

Church leaders across the globe are praying for Pope Leo XIV and for the medical staff involved in his upcoming surgery to remove a “small, localized nodule” in his lung.

Vatican News

Soon after Pope Leo XIV announced on Sunday that he will undergo surgery this week, prayers have poured in from Christian leaders for his quick recovery.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, promised on X to hold Pope Leo in prayer over the coming days, asking for God’s protection, closeness, and care.

“With Christians across the country and around the world, I pray for the Pope’s swift recovery,” she wrote.

Archbishop Richard Moth, Archbishop of Westminster and President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, also called for special prayers.

“I have sent a message on behalf of all in the Catholic Church in England and Wales, assuring him of our prayers,” he said.

Read also

11/10/2026

Pope Leo: I will undergo surgery soon to remove nodule in my lung

11/10/2026

Prayers pour in for Pope Leo XIV's upcoming surgery

Asian bishops call communities to prayer

In Thailand, Archbishop Francis Xavier Vira Arpondratana, President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference, told LiCAS News that he was surprised, having met the Pope only days earlier.

He invited Catholics throughout Thailand to express their spiritual closeness and prayed that Jesus Christ, the divine physician, would guide the surgeons.

Bishop Peter Suphot Roeksujarit of Chiang Mai invoked the Blessed Mother’s protection. “May the Blessed Mother protect him and remain by his side, allowing him to feel the love and prayers of his children around the world,” he said.

In the Philippines, Archbishop Gilbert Garcera of Lipa, President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference, asked Bishops and priests to offer Mass for the Pope’s successful operation and recovery.

He also encouraged religious communities, families, and the faithful to offer the Rosary, 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,” he said.

Bishop Gerardo Alminaza of San Carlos praised the Pope’s openness as an expression of “a humble and trusting leadership,” assuring him of spiritual closeness and support.

Bishop Ruperto Santos of Antipolo likewise promised prayers and Masses, asking God to guide the medical team’s hands, minds, and hearts.

Masses and prayers in North America

In the United States, Cardinal Blase Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago, invited the people of the Pope’s birthplace diocese, to pray for his swift and complete recovery.

He invoked the Holy Spirit’s guidance for the surgeons and the Blessed Mother’s care for Pope Leo.

Cardinal Robert McElroy, Archbishop of Washington, said he had joined Bishops from around the world in prayer in St. Peter’s Basilica. He asked every priest in his Archdiocese to offer Mass for the Pope’s health.

In Canada, the Archdiocese of Toronto invited the faithful to pray for the operation, the medical professionals, and a full recovery.

The message concluded with an invocation to Mary: “Our Lady, Health of the Sick, pray for our shepherd.”

Pope Leo XIV has historic meeting with the Archbishop of Canterbury; the first woman to hold that office in Anglican Church

 

Pope Leo XIV meets with Dame Sarah Mullally, Archbishop of Canterbury  (@Vatican Media)

Pope

• Pope Leo XIV
• audiences
• Anglican Communion
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Pope: Anglicans and Catholics must continue working to overcome differences

Meeting for the first time with the new Archbishop of Canterbury, Pope Leo XIV encourages Catholics and Anglicans to proclaim Christ to the world together, working to overcome any differences and challenges.

By Devin Watkins

Pope Leo XIV held an audience on Monday with the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend and Right Honourable Dame Sarah Mullally, and prayed with her in the Urban VIII Chapel in the Apostolic Palace.

In his greetings, the Pope shared his joy to receive the Archbishop during the Easter season, recalling the historic encounter between Pope St. Paul VI and Archbishop Michael Ramsey, which took place 60 years ago.

He also expressed appreciation for the ministry of the Anglican Centre in Rome, greeting its Director, Bishop Anthony Ball, who represents the Archbishop of Canterbury at the Holy See.

Pope Leo and Archbishop Mullally pray in the Urban VIII Chapel (@Vatican Media)

Pope Leo then shared his Eastertide greeting of Christ’s peace, which he said offers an invitation to all Christians.

“I have often mentioned that the peace of the risen Lord is ‘unarmed’,” he said. “This is because He always responded to violence and aggression in an unarmed way, inviting us to do likewise.”

Among Christians, he added, divisions weaken our ability to effectively bear Christ’s peace to the world.

“If the world is to take our preaching to heart,” he said, “we must, therefore, be constant in our prayers and efforts to remove any stumbling blocks that hinder the proclamation of the Gospel.”

Pope Leo recalled the many decades of efforts of theological dialogue between Catholics and Anglicans that have been made along the path to restore “complete communion in faith and sacramental life.”

Despite its complexity, he said, this ecumenical journey has borne fruit regarding various historically divisive issues, noting that the Anglican Communion is currently facing “many of these same questions at this time.”

“Nevertheless, we must not allow these continuing challenges to prevent us from using every possible opportunity to proclaim Christ to the world together,” he said.

Pope Leo exchanges gifts with Archbishop Mullally (@Vatican Media)

Recalling the words of Pope Francis to Primate of the Anglican Communion in May 2024, the Pope said it “would be a scandal if, due to our divisions, we did not fulfill our common vocation to make Christ known.”

“For my part,” said Pope Leo, “I add that it would also be a scandal if we did not continue to work towards overcoming our differences, no matter how intractable they may appear.”

Concluding his address, the Pope thanked Archbishop Mullally for her visit and prayed that Anglicans and Catholics continue to journey together in friendship and dialogue, guided by the Holy Spirit.

Pope Leo XIV will host the new Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, the 1st female Archbishop of Canterbury

 

Archbishop of Canterbury Enthronement  (PA Wire/PA Images)

Pope

• Pope Leo XIV
• Anglican Communion
• meeting
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Pope Leo to meet the new Archbishop of Canterbury in April

The Most Revd Dame Sarah Mullally will be received by the Pope during her visit to Rome from 25 to 28 April. The announcement comes two days after her official installation as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury and Primate of the Anglican Communion.

Vatican News 

Read also

26/03/2026

Pope assures Archbishop of Canterbury of dialogue 'in truth and love‘

The new Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, will meet Pope Leo XIV during her visit to Rome, scheduled from 25 to 28 April. The official announcement of the visit comes two days after her official installation in Canterbury Cathedral.

On Thursday, in the Chapel of Our Lady of Martyrdom, the archbishop participated in a meeting and common prayer with Cardinal Kurt Koch, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity and a high-level Catholic delegation.

A letter from the Pope

The event commemorated the 60th anniversary of the Common Declaration of 24 March 1966—the first formal ecumenical declaration between the Anglican Church and the Roman Catholic Church, signed by Pope Paul VI and Archbishop Michael Ramsey. On the occasion, Cardinal Koch delivered a letter of good wishes and blessings from Pope Leo to Archbishop Mullally at the start of her public ministry in the Church of England and worldwide Anglican Communion.

Archbishop Mullally’s gratitude 

A statement released by Lambeth Palace said the Archbishop thanked the Pope for his prayers and assured him of her own.

“I am deeply grateful for his kind letter and for the assurance of his prayers on the occasion of my installation as Archbishop of Canterbury,” she wrote. “His words of encouragement and his invocation of the guidance of the Holy Spirit are received with deep appreciation.”

“As Archbishop of Canterbury,” Mullally continued in her message to Pope Leo XIV, “I too am called to serve as an instrument of communion within the Anglican Communion and to seek the full and visible unity to which the Lord calls us all.”

Concluding, she added: “I look forward to meeting His Holiness soon and to continuing to strengthen the bonds of friendship and our shared commitment.”

Pope Leo XIV acknowledges the installation of the new Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury

 

The common prayer service in the Chapel of our Lady of Martyrdom. with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dame Sarah Mullally, and Cardinal Kurt Koch 

Pope

• Pope Leo XIV
• Anglican Communion
• ecumenism
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Pope assures Archbishop of Canterbury of dialogue 'in truth and love‘

Pope Leo XIV sends a message to Archbishop Sarah Mullally on the occasion of her installation, recalling the progress and challenges in Catholic–Anglican relations. The Archbishop's installation ceremony in Canterbury Cathedral took place on 25 March.

Vatican News

Pope Leo XIV has sent a message to Sarah Mullally on the occasion of her installation as Archbishop of Canterbury, assuring her of his prayers and invoking “grace, mercy, and peace… in truth and love”.

The installation service, historically known as an enthronement, took place in Canterbury Cathedral on 25 March. In the presence of some 2,000 guests, including the Prince and Princess of Wales, it marks the symbolic start of Dame Sarah's public ministry as the Archbishop of Canterbury.

In his message, the Pope notes that the office entrusted to the new Primate of the Anglican Communion carries significant responsibilities, not only within the Diocese of Canterbury but also across the Church of England and the wider Anglican Communion. He observes that she begins her ministry “at a challenging moment in the history of the Anglican family,” and prays that she may be strengthened with wisdom and guided by the Holy Spirit, drawing inspiration from Mary, the Mother of God.

Cardinal Koch and Archbishop Mullally during the service

Recalling the 1966 encounter

The message recalls the historic meeting in 1966 between Pope Paul VI and Archbishop Michael Ramsey, when Catholics and Anglicans committed themselves to “a new stage in the development of fraternal relations, based upon Christian charity.” This commitment, he highlights, has borne fruit over the past sixty years.

In his message, the Pope refers to the work of the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC), established following that encounter, stating that it has contributed to greater mutual understanding and has supported a more effective common witness, particularly in the face of contemporary global challenges.

At the same time, he acknowledges that the ecumenical journey has encountered difficulties. He recalls the 2016 Joint Declaration signed by Pope Francis and Justin Welby, which noted that “new circumstances have presented new disagreements.”

These differences, he adds, do not prevent Christians from recognizing one another as brothers and sisters in Christ by virtue of their common baptism.

Thus, the Pope expresses his belief that dialogue should continue “in truth and love,” so that Christians may come to know together the grace, mercy and peace of God and offer these to the world.

Unity and common witness

Pope Leo XIV writes that the unity sought by Christians is directed toward the proclamation of Christ, recalling the prayer of Jesus, “that the world may believe”. He also cites an address of Pope Francis to Anglican Primates in 2024, which stated that divisions among Christians risk hindering their common vocation to make Christ known.

The witness of a reconciled and united Christian community, he affirms, contributes to the clarity of the proclamation of the Gospel.

Cardinal Koch kneeling on the kneeler used by Pope John Paul II and Dame Sarah Mullally

The liturgy in Canterbury

The Pope’s message was delivered on Thursday, 26 March in Canterbury Cathedral at the conclusion of a common prayer service presided over by Archbishop Mullally and the Pope’s envoy, Cardinal Kurt Koch, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity.

The liturgy marks the 60th anniversary of the 1966 meeting between Pope Paul VI and Archbishop Michael Ramsey. During the celebration, the same kneeler used in the 1982 encounter between Pope John Paul II and Archbishop Robert Runcie was used.

The 2026 Catholic delegation included Archbishop Flavio Pace, Secretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity and Father Martin Browne, an official of the Dicastery; Cardinals Vincent Nichols and Timothy Radcliffe; Archbishop Bernard Longley of Birmingham, co-chair of ARCIC; Archbishop Richard Moth of Westminster; Archbishop John Wilson of Southwark; Archbishop Leo William Cushley of Saint Andrews and Edinburgh; Bishop Kenneth Nowakowski of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in the United Kingdom and the chargé d’affaires of the Apostolic Nunciature in London, Ante Vidović.

A moment of the common prayer service

Through Cardinal Koch, Catholic Church acknowledges Anglican Church appointment of 1st female Archbishop of Canterbury

 

Announcement of the new Archbishop of Canterbury to lead the Church of England  (TOBY MELVILLE)

Vatican

• ecumenism
• dicastery
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• Anglican Communion

Cardinal Koch congratulates Archbishop-designate of Canterbury Sarah Mullally

The Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity congratulates the Rt. Revd. and Rt. Hon. Dame Sarah Mullally on her appointment as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury.

By Vatican News

King Charles III has approved the nomination of the Rt Revd and Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullally, Bishop of London, as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury. She will be the first woman to hold the office, with her installation scheduled for March 2026 at Canterbury Cathedral.

In a letter addressed to Bishop Mullally, Cardinal Kurt Koch, President of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, offered his congratulations and expressed the Catholic Church’s support for her new ministry. He wrote:

"Having learned of your nomination… I write to congratulate you on your appointment and to express the good wishes of the Catholic Church to you as you prepare to undertake this important service in your Church. I pray that the Lord will bless you with the gifts you need for the very demanding ministry to which you have now been called, equipping you to be an instrument of communion and unity for the faithful among whom you will serve," Cardinal Koch writes.

Cardinal Koch highlighted the longstanding theological dialogue between the Anglican Communion and the Catholic Church, noting that it has fostered mutual understanding and affection over nearly sixty years. He recalled the warmth of relationships between the two communions, particularly after the death of Pope Francis earlier this year, and expressed hope that this closeness would continue:

"It is my fervent hope that such closeness may continue in the years ahead as we continue to walk together on the way. With the assurance of my prayers for you and your family," he said.

Bishop Mullally

Bishop Mullally succeeds Archbishop Justin Welby, who resigned almost a year ago. She has served as Bishop of London since 2018, becoming the first woman in that role, and previously served as Bishop of Crediton in the Diocese of Exeter. Prior to her ordination in 2001, she was England’s Chief Nursing Officer, the youngest person ever appointed to that role at age 37. She has described nursing as “an opportunity to reflect the love of God.”

The Crown Nominations Commission for Canterbury selected Bishop Mullally following a process of public consultation and prayerful discernment that began in February 2025. The Commission included representatives from the Church of England, the global Anglican Communion, and the Diocese of Canterbury.

Reflecting on her appointment, Bishop Mullally said she hopes to encourage the Church “to continue to grow in confidence in the Gospel, to speak of the love that we find in Jesus Christ and for it to shape our actions,” and looks forward to sharing “this journey of faith with the millions of people serving God and their communities in parishes all over the country and across the global Anglican Communion.”

Anglican Church Leader Justin Welby resigns over complaints of his handling of child abuse

 

The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby speaks during the General Synod of the Church of England on February 15, 2016 in London.Ben Pruchnie/Getty

WORLD

Anglican Church head, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, resigns over handling of child abuse

By Haley Ott

Updated on: November 12, 2024 / 12:25 PM EST / CBS News

London — The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, head of the Anglican Church, resigned Tuesday after a review found that he and other senior church leaders had covered up the "prolific and abhorrent" abuse of over 100 boys and young men in the United Kingdom and other countries by a British lawyer who helped lead Christian summer camps in the U.K. and other countries.

John Smyth was accused of attacking boys and young men he met at Christian camps in the 1970s and 1980s. He died in South Africa in 2018 at the age of 77 without ever facing any legal proceedings. 

"The last few days have renewed my long felt and profound sense of shame at the historic safeguarding failures of the Church of England," Welby said in a statement announcing his resignation. "For nearly twelve years I have struggled to introduce improvements. It is for others to judge what has been done."

An independent Church of England review into the handling of complaints against Smyth found last week that, "despite the efforts of some individuals to bring the abuse to the attention of authorities, the responses by the Church of 

"I am so sorry that in places where these young men, and boys, should have felt safe and where they should have experienced God's love for them, they were subjected to physical, sexual, psychological and spiritual abuse," Welby said in an initial statement responding to the review's findings. "I am sorry that concealment by many people who were fully aware of the abuse over many years meant that John Smyth was able to abuse overseas and died before he ever faced justice."

Welby has said he was unaware of Smyth's abuse until 2013, the year he became the archbishop.

"Nevertheless the review is clear that I personally failed to ensure that after disclosure in 2013 the awful tragedy was energetically investigated," Welby said. "Since that time the way in which the Church of England engages with victims and survivors has changed beyond recognition. Checks and balances introduced seek to ensure that the same could not happen today."

The Archbishop of Canterbury is the most senior figure in the Church of England, also known as the Anglican Church. The U.S.-based Episcopal Church, which has 1.6 million members, is part of the worldwide Anglican Communion and there are over 7,000 Episcopal churches across the U.S.

Welby has played a central role in many high-profile events, including officiating the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and delivering the sermon at the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.

"I think, rightly, people are asking the question: 'Can we really trust the Church of England to keep us safe?' And I think the answer at the moment is 'no,'" Bishop of Newcastle Helen-Ann Hartley told CBS News' partner network BBC News, calling on Welby to resign.

Andrew Morse, who told the BBC he was abused for years by Smyth as a teenager, had also called for Welby to resign. He said Welby's "admission that in 2013, which is really modern day in comparison to the 1970s and 1980s, that he didn't do enough, that he wasn't rigorous… is enough in my mind to confirm that Justin Welby, along with countless other Anglican churchmen, were part of a cover-up about the abuse."

Morse said he was beaten several times by Smyth during his youth, and that further abuse could have been stopped if Welby had acted when he found out about Smyth's actions in 2013.

"It is those African lives and those African victims that are very much on my conscience — and I would hope on the archbishop's conscience too."