Feb. 11, 2015 PALM BEACH, Fla. (CNS) - Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito of Palm Beach was recovering at a Miami hospital after undergoing "a difficult and long, seven-hour surgery" Feb. 2 to have a benign tumor removed from his brain. "We are pleased to report that the surgery was a success. Praise God!" the diocese said in a statement issued once the bishop was out of surgery and in the recovery room. "Thank you all for your prayers. They are very much appreciated. We ask for your continued prayers for Bishop Barbarito's speedy and full recovery." Bishop Barbarito, who turned 65 Jan. 4, has headed the Palm Beach Diocese since 2003. Previously, he served as Bishop of Ogdensburg from 2000 to 2003. The diocese said it would keep the Catholic community informed about the bishop's condition with updates posted on its website, www.diocesepb.org. In a Jan. 30 personal note to all in the diocese, the bishop described how doctors had discovered he had a brain tumor. "A brief period of vertigo episodes in November," he said, prompted "a whole series of tests of the inner ear - which proved negative." "My doctor then sent me for an MRI of the brain just to be safe and to rule out any other possibility for the vertigo," he said. "The MRI revealed a moderately large meningioma - benign brain tumor - in an area which could eventually be a serious problem for the future. "Luckily, it is not causing any problems or symptoms now but, left unresolved, will. It has nothing to do with the vertigo, which has completely disappeared. Go figure!" he wrote. He said he consulted with "a number of top neurosurgeons, who gave me the same opinion which is that the meningioma should be removed now before serious problems arise," Bishop Barbarito said. "Unlike with theologians, I could not find a contrary opinion as much as I tried." He expected he would have to have "a little recovery time" after the surgery but planned "to resume my schedule as quickly." He said he would cancel public functions for a brief period. Bishop Barbarito noted that originally he was to have had surgery Jan. 28, but he "came down with some type of 'bug' and the surgery had to be canceled" and rescheduled for Feb.2. "I want to assure you that all is well," he said, adding that he looked forward to resuming his schedule "after this brief 'vacation,'" which was "not quite a cruise to the Bahamas." "Obviously, I ask for your prayers upon which I always rely," he said. "These are very important to me." |
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