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Bishop George Murry re-enters hospital for leukemia treatment
Bishop has relapse of acute leukemia
YOUNGSTOWN
The Most Rev. George V. Murry, S.J., bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Youngstown, has had a relapse of acute leukemia, diocese officials announced.
According to diocese officials, the illness is not as intense as it was when Bishop Murry was treated for it last year, but it is still serious enough to warrant treatment.
Bishop Murry will undergo a 28-day chemotherapy program at the Cleveland Clinic beginning today.
Diocese officials said the ultimate goal of his treatment will be to prepare him for a bone marrow transplant this September.
Monsignors John Zuraw, Robert Siffrin, Peter Polando and the Rev. John Jerek will have weekly visits with Bishop Murray to discuss diocese issues.
“He’ll still be very much in charge of the diocese. Just like last year, when in the spring he went through that regiment of chemotherapy, the four of us each had a day when we went up to talk to him,” Msgr. Zuraw said. “He wants to know what’s going on in the diocese. He makes all the decisions; we just carry out his decisions.”
The bishop fell ill days after an announcement that the diocese planned to close several churches throughout the region due to declining participation and a lack of priests. Msgr. Zuraw said the challenges facing the bishop’s health and the diocese at large would be handled with sensitivity.
“The regional plan will be implemented over the course of a year, so we have to assure people that we’re listening to their concerns and approaching them with pastoral sensitivity,” Msgr. Zuraw said.
The monsignor said that individuals who wish to offer their support to the bishop during his treatment can do so through prayer and by sending cards to the diocese, which they will deliver to the bishop.
As with his last treatment, the bishop will be unable to have public visitation while staying at the Cleveland Clinic.
“I believe prayers do work. I think we saw last year the prayers of the people of great faith in this area came through, and I believe once again healing will come forth,” Msgr. Zuraw said.