Chicago's Cardinal George has bladder cancer

CHICAGO, July 27 (Reuters) Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, who has played a prominent role in the US bishops' response to sex scandals in the Roman Catholic church, said he will undergo surgery for bladder cancer.

George, 69, became the archbishop of Chicago in 1997 and was elevated to cardinal a year later by Pope John Paul II. He is the first Chicago native to head the archdiocese, overseeing 2.4 million Catholics.

''I am informed that I can expect to make a full recovery from this cancer and the surgery to remove it,'' George said in a statement on the archdiocese's Web site.

''I trust that the Lord will give me the strength and grace I need during these next days and weeks,'' he added.

REUTERS SK VC0422