Cardinal Mahony in Hospital

Cardinal Roger M. Mahony, who had surgery last month to remove a cancerous prostate gland, was admitted to an area hospital Friday to be treated for a “small” blood clot, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles announced Saturday.

The Roman Catholic leader underwent surgery June 15 after a routine physical in February revealed prostate cancer in its early stages.

In a news release announcing the hospitalization, the archdiocese said medical experts had advised that the appearance of a clot after a major surgery is not uncommon.

Father Gregory Coiro, spokesman for the archdiocese, said he had talked to Mahony several times Saturday morning by telephone. “He really sounds quite good. It’s hard to believe he’s in the hospital,” Coiro said. “His spirits are good.”

Coiro said Mahony, 62, entered the hospital Friday night. The archdiocese declined to identify the hospital to minimize telephone calls to the archbishop. Coiro said he couldn’t be more precise about the number of days Mahony would be hospitalized, other than to say “several days.”