Cardinal George reveals cancer is advancing

March 07, 2014

Chicago’s Cardinal Francis George has disclosed that a cancer in his kidney is showing “signs of new activity,” and will require more aggressive treatment.

Cardinal George, who survived an earlier bout with bladder cancer, announced in 2012 that he had been diagnosed with cancer of the liver and kidney. In December of that year, after chemotherapy treatment, doctors said that there was no remaining sign of cancer. But in a column published in the archdiocesan newspaper, the cardinal said that the kidney cancer was evident again, and “will most probably eventually be the cause of my death.”

Cardinal George said that he was not yet showing any symptoms of the disease. He said that he would submit to a new round of chemotherapy in the coming weeks, and his public schedule would be curtailed. He thanked the faithful for the support of their prayers.

“I imagine this news will increase speculation about my retirement,” the 77-year-old cardinal said. He reminded readers that on his 75th birthday he had submitted his resignation to the Pope, who is free to accept it at any time. “The only certainty is that no one knows when that will be, except perhaps the Holy Father, and he hasn’t told me,” he said.

 

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Further information:

• Lent: Taking stock of our lives (Catholic New World)