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Cardinal George Encouraged By Cancer Treatment, Pondering Retirement

By Chuck Sudo in News on Dec 12, 2012 3:30PM

Cardinal Francis George met Tuesday to update media on his most recent battle with cancer. George said tests show his chemotherapy treatments have been successful and doctors "couldn't find any evidence of cancer where they found it before."

“They were quite surprised. It looked good,” he said. “But then they always say there are always things we can't see."

George announced in August that cancer had returned to his liver and kidneys. He underwent a radical surgery six years ago to have a cancerous bladder and prostate removed. He's set to undergo another month of chemo treatments, at which time doctors will assess his long-term prognosis. Because of the treatments, George will miss regular public events like visiting children and Lurie Children's Hospital and celebrating Mass with inmates at Cook County Jail.

George told CBS 2's Jay Levine he submitted his retirement paperwork, as required under Vatical rules, and is actually looking forward to the prospect of being replaced as leader of Chicago's Catholic Church and, like his predecessor Joseph Bernadin, is laying out a succession plan.

“I was the benefit of a strategic plan that Cardinal [Joseph] Bernardin did at end of his life, and I would like to leave something like that for my successor,” he said.