VATICAN CITY — Vatican spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi, SJ, on Wednesday again denied reports that Pope Francis has a curable brain tumor, as reported by the Italian daily, Quotidiano Nazionale (National Daily).
At Wednesday’s midday briefing on the Synod on the Family, Fr. Lombardi quipped to a packed press hall that he had “a vague suspicion that some of you are waiting for a statement from me about the news that was going around last night and made a bit of noise.”
Fr. Lombardi then stated:
I already issued one denial as you know, and I completely confirm it, after having checked with the appropriate sources, including the Holy Father. No Japanese doctor came to visit the pope in the Vatican. There were no examinations performed like those described in the article. The competent officials have confirmed for me that there were no helicopter flights that arrived at the Vatican, even in January. I can confirm that the pope enjoys good health. If you were in St. Peter’s Square this morning [for the Wednesday audience] you saw it yourselves. If you followed him on his recent journeys you know it. He might have some issues with his legs, but his head seems absolutely fine to me. I repeat that publishing this is gravely irresponsible and unjustified. It’s also unjustified to continue to spread such unfounded news. Therefore, it is our hope that this ends immediately.
Lombardi concluded his comments by offering the following observation: “The same publication that published this ‘scoop’ ran alongside it an interview with a Professor Meyer on brain tumors. Professor Meyer phoned me this morning of his own initiative, saying he was in New York, didn’t know anything about anything, and a kind journalist interviewed him in a general way about brain tumors, without him knowing anything about the context in which she was conducting or publishing it. [Professor Meyer] responded with appropriate answers about brain tumors, and then to his great surprise he saw it presented this morning.”
Diane Montagnais Rome correspondent for Aleteia’s English edition.
