The Vatican announced Thursday that Bishop Ronald Hicks will fill the vacancy of the Archdiocese of New York, replacing Cardinal Timothy Dolan in February.
A slight shift from his more conservative predecessor, Hicks appears to follow the pope’s emphasis on “being bridge builders,” said Archbishop Robert Casey of Cincinnati, who has served with Hicks in the past.
In November, Hicks asked followers to read, pray with, and share a “Special Message” on immigration by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, which “expresses our concerns, opposition, and hopes with clarity and conviction” about Trump’s immigration policy and includes “a call for meaningful immigration reform.”
Dolan, who is submitting his required letter of retirement upon reaching the age of 75, was notably more aligned with conservative Catholics.
Dolan and Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic convert, had a spat over Vance’s comments early in the administration criticizing the Church for helping to resettle migrants, according to The Catholic World Report. He has otherwise been close with President Donald Trump’s administration.
Dolan delivered the invocation at Trump’s second inauguration, praying for wisdom for the president and his administration.
Dolan also faced criticism for referring to Charlie Kirk as a “modern-day St. Paul,” following the conservative activist’s assassination, according to the National Catholic Reporter.
“He was a missionary. He’s an evangelist. He’s a hero,” Dolan said following the murder. “He’s one, I think, that knew what Jesus meant when he said, ‘The truth will set you free.’” (RELATED: Rachel Maddow Wants To Be Catholic Again — Church Leaders Have Questions)
In his first press conference since being appointed the next archbishop of New York, Hicks honed in on the diocese’s handling of sexual abuse claims, promising to make sure they appropriately cared for survivors.
“I’m committed to learning about the issues before our Church,” Hicks asserted.
Massimo Faggioli, a professor of ecclesiology at Trinity College Dublin, suggested the appointment is a signal that Pope Leo wants to avoid putting into leadership priests who are perceived as getting too involved with politics. (RELATED: ‘Enjoy The Honeymoon’: New York Voters Warm To Mamdani, His Socialist Policies, Poll Shows)
“I believe the message from Leo is that he wants an archbishop of New York who can be less identified with one political party, with one platform, with one trench in this situation of polarization,” Faggioli told The Washington Post.
At 58 years old, Hicks is only one year younger than Dolan was when he was appointed archbishop of New York in 2009 by the more conservative Pope Benedict XVI.
Hicks spent several years serving in Leo’s hometown of Chicago and is currently serving as the bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Joliet, Illinois, a role he was appointed to by Pope Francis in 2020, according to the diocese’s website. Hicks joked that his new appointment will not cause him to abandon his Chicago Cubs to cheer for the White Sox — Pope Leo’s favorite team — but declared that he already loves New York pizza.
Dolan opened the press conference cheerfully, asserting, “St. Nicholas has left us an early Christmas gift” in regard to Hicks’ appointment.