New York, Sept. 27 (RNS)--The presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church has received a clean bill of health from his New York doctors after undergoing prostate cancer surgery.

The Most Rev. Frank T. Griswold, 62, was diagnosed with prostate cancer in July and underwent surgery Sept. 11. Follow-up testing showed that the cancer was contained and has not spread, giving Griswold the go-ahead to return to work as he feels able.

"He's recovering nicely and is in good spirits," said his assistant, Barbara Braver. "This is very good news and he's doing fine. He's beginning to resume part of his normal schedule."

Jim Solheim, a church spokesman, said the staff at the Episcopal Church Center in New York is relieved that the cancer did not spread. "The mood in the building is one of great thankfulness that the prognosis is good because we draw a lot of energy from his vision," Solheim said.

Griswold was ordained in 1963 and served as bishop of Chicago from 1987 to 1997, when he was elected to a nine-year term as the 25th presiding bishop of the 2.5 million-member church.

As presiding bishop, Griswold oversees the entire U.S. church, serves as president of the 200-member House of Bishops and represents the Episcopal Church in the worldwide Anglican Communion.