“If you want to know the core of who I am and what I stand for. You should know this: I love Jesus with my mind, heart and soul, and I strive to love my neighbor,” Archbishop-designate Ronald Hicks said.
Photo by Dean Moses
New York Catholics will welcome a new leader on Friday, when Ronald Hicks is formally installed as the 11th Archbishop of New York, replacing Cardinal Timothy Dolan as the spiritual leader of what is perhaps America’s most visible archdiocese.
Hicks will assume his new role during a special Mass at the iconic St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Fifth Avenue. While religious scholars note the ceremony is more administrative than sacramental, the appointment of Hicks—known for his profound compassion and dedication throughout his native Illinois and beyond—is expected to be a reverent and respectful affair.
The Archbishop-designate will replace Cardinal Dolan weeks after Pope Leo XIV accepted his resignation in December. Cardinal Dolan, who follows in the church’s more conservative tradition, was widely recognized for his warm, friendly demeanor and charismatic public presence.
While Hicks is known for his pastoral experience, the faithful await to see how his leadership style will steer the archdiocese’s highest office.
The incoming Archbishop spoke highly and lovingly of New York during a December press conference following the announcement of his upcoming appointment.
“I have visited New York about 10 times in my life, and every time I have visited, I said to myself, ‘I love it,’” he told reporters. “I love the culture, the food, the energy, the plays, the neighborhoods. But especially, I love the people, the people from all over the world who call this place home.”
Last month, Hicks said he was looking forward to his new position and getting to know the people of New York.
“I want to follow Jesus. I love the Church. I love the priesthood. I love people,” he told the Archdiocese of New York’s digital news outlet, The Good Newsroom. “As bishops, we’re called to govern, to teach, and to sanctify. But I look most forward to having the opportunity to pray with and get to know the people of the Archdiocese of New York.”
A shepherd in northern Illinois: Bishop Ronald Hicks
Born in Harvey, IL, on Aug. 4, 1967, Hicks graduated from Niles College of Loyola University in Chicago and was ordained a priest 37 years later in the city’s Archdiocese. He spent much of his ministry in and around the Windy City area.
His most recent position has been the sixth Bishop of the Diocese of Joliet in Illinois. Appointed by Pope Francis in July 2020, he was ordained and installed in September of that year, stepping into a role that oversees the spiritual and administrative needs of Catholics in the area.
Hicks’ journey through his faith has been rooted in large part in service. Starting in 2005, he ministered for five years in Mexico and El Salvador as regional director of the Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos (NPH) in Central America, helping to care for orphans and abandoned children in nine Latin American and Caribbean nations.
A strong parochial-school education
Religious education has always been part of Hicks’ life. As a boy, he attended St. Jude the Apostle Parish and grade school in South Holland, Illinois.
Before obtaining a degree in philosophy from Niles College, he graduated from Quigley Preparatory Seminary South in 1985.
He also obtained a Master of Divinity degree in 1994 and a Doctor of Ministry degree in 2003 from the University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Illinois.
What to expect during the installation ceremony
The ceremony will likely be a solemn affair, marked at various points with moments of Catholic symbolism. Cardinal Dolan will welcome the Bishop into the historic cathedral.
Cardinal Christophe Pierre, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, will represent the pontiff at Friday’s mass and read the Pope’s official letter appointing the new Archbishop of New York. After formally accepting the appointment from the Holy Father, Bishop Hicks will be led to and seated in the Archbishop’s chair. According to scholars, the seating is the visible liturgical sign that the bishop has taken possession of the Archdiocese of New York.
There will be a series of greetings before the newly installed Archbishop of New York gives his homily. Representatives from various faiths, including Orthodox, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist and Hindu, will be on site to welcome the new Archbishop.
When is the ceremony?
The ceremony will take place on Friday, Feb. 6, at 2 p.m.
Where is it held?
The installation will take place at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, at Fifth Avenue and 50th Street in Midtown, Manhattan.
How long is the ceremony?
The ceremony will run for approximately 2.5 hours.
Can the public watch the ceremony online?
Yes. Hicks’ installation as archbishop can be viewed on EWTN Live Mass & Devotions YouTube channel on Friday.