Canine plague follows papal statement (7)
I believe the answer is:
bulldog
'canine' is the definition.
(bulldog is a kind of canine)
'plague follows papal statement' is the wordplay.
'plague' becomes 'dog' (both can mean to follow or repeatedly torment).
'follows' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'papal statement' becomes 'bull' (I can't explain this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'dog' put after 'bull' is 'BULLDOG'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for bulldog that I've seen before include "Sort of clip" , "Sturdy pet; type of clip" , "Canine (with British spirit?)" , "found at the end of a lead" , "Sturdy 'British' dog" .)