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Greetings, World of Faith readers.  

This week, we examine some of the longer-term implications of Pope Leo’s lung-cancer diagnosis. The pope also figures in our look at the colorful history of Catholic college basketball in the United States – his alma mater, Villanova, is a three-time national champion and will be soon playing its season opener in Rome. 

Faithful pray under the statue of late Pope St. John Paul II at the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic where Pope Leo XIV is hospitalized, in Rome, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

LEO'S HEALTH

Questions swirl about Leo's future and what he knew when praying at French shrine famed for cures 

When Pope Leo XIV was elected after the pained finale of Pope Francis’ pontificate, there was hope that a younger, healthier pope could guide the Catholic Church for quite some time before age and ailments slowed him. Leo’s lung cancer diagnosis has thrown a question mark into that scenario. Read more. 

Why this matters:

• Already, Peru's president is suggesting Leo’s upcoming South America trip may have to be changed. And the diagnosis raises questions about what Leo knew and when, given his poignant prayers in late September at a French shrine revered as a site of miraculous cures.
  
  
• Vatican watchers say the diagnosis could have other unintended effects, not all of them negative. It could propel Leo, 71, to accelerate his own agenda, which to date has moved slowly. It also could galvanize support for him, bolstering his efforts to unify the fractured Catholic Church. 
  
  
• And significant for his own ministry, the diagnosis has placed Leo squarely among the “fragile” and “vulnerable” who have emerged as a central focus of his pontificate. 

RELATED COVERAGE ➤

• Vatican considers Sunday prayer appearance as Pope Leo recovers from lung surgery 
• Chicago Catholics rally for prayer in Pope Leo’s hometown after his lung cancer diagnosis 
• South Americans pray for Pope Leo’s recovery as uncertainty hangs over his visit

GAZA BORDER

Israel says commercial goods will not enter Gaza, a major shut-off for the hungry territory 

Israeli military officials say commercial goods were blocked from entering the Gaza Strip, cutting off a key source of food and shelter supply for the war-torn territory as hungry Palestinians face the approach of winter. The move stands to immediately reduce Gaza's supplies, because the closed-off territory is completely reliant on whatever goods Israel allows in through border crossings. Read more. 

Key points:

• In announcing the measure, the Israeli military claimed to be communicating a decision made by Gaza merchants who had grown tired of Hamas taxing their trucks and threatening them. Israel has long accused the militant group of levying fees on imports to fund its operations.  
  
  
• The head of Gaza’s private truckers union, Nahed Sheheiber, disputed that, saying Israel had made the decision.
  
  
• The world’s leading authority on food insecurity reported earlier this year that conditions in Gaza had improved since famine in the territory in August 2025, but were still at crisis levels. Most families in the enclave still weren’t getting nearly enough to eat, the report said. 

RELATED COVERAGE ➤

• Famine has ended in Gaza. But the gains are fragile and it could get worse 
• US-brokered ceasefire was supposed to end the war in Gaza. A year later, progress has stalled
• Satellite photos show how Israeli forces have erased Gaza towns

CATHOLIC HOOPS

From March Madness miracles to a season opener in Rome: The story of Catholic college hoops 

Catholic college basketball in the U.S. has a rich history, filled with talented teams, colorful coaches, and unforgettable characters. That legacy will soon be celebrated with the first-ever Eternal City Tip-Off on Nov. 1 in Rome, when Notre Dame and Villanova's men's and women's teams face off. The arena is near the Vatican, home base to Pope Leo XIV. Not only is he the first American pope, he's a sports fan and a Villanova alum. Read more. 

Why this matters:

• There's been no word from the Vatican on whether Leo might attend the Eternal City Tip-Off, though it's considered unlikely given that he was recently diagnosed with lung cancer.
  
  
• After James Naismith invented basketball in 1891, YMCAs and colleges played key roles in the early expansion. Many of those schools were Catholic institutions in urban areas. Basketball — requiring only an indoor court and a handful of players — was an ideal sport for them. 
  
  
• The NCAA men’s tournament started in 1939, officially crowning a national champion. Since then, Catholic schools have won 10 titles — including three by Villanova.