{"id":125807,"date":"2026-02-07T00:01:35","date_gmt":"2026-02-07T00:01:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/125807\/"},"modified":"2026-02-07T00:01:35","modified_gmt":"2026-02-07T00:01:35","slug":"ny-catholics-welcome-archbishop-ronald-hicks-as-their-new-spiritual-shepherd","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/125807\/","title":{"rendered":"NY Catholics welcome Archbishop Ronald Hicks as their new spiritual shepherd"},"content":{"rendered":"

Archbishop Ronald Hicks was officially installed Friday as New York\u2019s top Catholic leader,<\/a> outlining a vision of a missionary church that would put people above politics.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a call to be a missionary church not a country club,\u201d Hicks said. \u201cA club exists to serve its members. The Church exists, on the other hand, to go out and serve all people, on fire with faith with hope and charity, in the name of Jesus Christ. This is not a criticism. It\u2019s simply an invitation to constantly renew who we are and rediscover why the Church exists.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hundreds of New Yorkers, tourists and dignitaries crowded into Manhattan\u2019s venerable St. Patrick\u2019s Cathedral,<\/a> the hallowed archdiocese headquarters where Hicks will put his own stamp on one of the most important pulpits in the nation.<\/p>\n

Decked in a festive red frock, Hicks seemed oblivious to the the bitter cold as he waited outside on the steps to make his grand entrance, and usher in a new era of service and worship on America\u2019s largest Catholic stage.<\/p>\n

\"PeoplePeople sing as they await the arrival of Archbishop-designate Ronald Hicks for his installation Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral on February 6, 2026, in New York City. (Barry Williams \/ New York Daily News)<\/p>\n

When he finally entered \u2014 after knocking three times on the cathedral door with his pastoral staff \u2014 Hicks was greeted with a standing ovation, thunderous applause and an endless array of cellphone cameras documenting the festive moment.<\/p>\n

\u201cI believe the world always has and always will need a missionary Church,\u201d Hicks said. \u201cA Church that forms missionary disciples not passive spectators.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hicks drew loud applause when he spoke of upholding life from conception until a natural death, and when he extolled championing \u201cunity across cultures and generations.\u201d<\/p>\n

But he got the biggest reaction when he spoke of his love for music and songs about Chicago and New York.<\/p>\n

\u201cChicago will always be my kind of town,\u201d he said. \u201cBut I\u2019m in a New York state of mind.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Archbishop-designate<\/p>\n

Barry Williams \/ New York Daily News<\/p>\n

Archbishop-designate of New York Ronald Hicks is pictured during his installation Mass, succeeding Timothy Cardinal Dolan, at St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Friday. (Barry Williams \/ New York Daily News)<\/p>\n

Not among the crowd was Mayor Mamdani, who didn\u2019t attend due to a scheduling conflict. He congratulated the new archbishop in a post on X<\/a>. Deputy Mayor Helen Arteaga attended.<\/p>\n

Hicks, 58, who most recently was bishop of Joliet, Illinois, was appointed last month by Pope Leo<\/a>, a fellow Chicagoan, signaling a more progressive New York archdiocese.<\/p>\n

He replaces Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who had been New York\u2019s archbishop since 2009.<\/p>\n

Born in Harvey, Ill., Hicks grew up in South Holland, not far from the Chicago suburb of Dalton, where the pontiff was raised.<\/p>\n

The two \u201cplayed in the same parks, went swimming in the same pools, liked the same pizza places\u201d Hicks told WG9 last year, when Leo began his tenure as leader of the Catholic Church. Their similarities extend to much of their ideologies, as well.<\/p>\n

Like Leo, Hicks has embraced a more welcoming and inclusive vision of Catholicism, in part inspired by the late Pope Francis, with a specific focus on social justice.<\/p>\n

\"Timothy<\/p>\n

Barry Williams\/ New York Daily News<\/p>\n

Timothy Cardinal Dolan gives his seat to Archbishop Ronald Hicks, signifying Hicks officially becoming archbishop of New York, at St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Friday. (Barry Williams\/ New York Daily News)<\/p>\n

Hicks has also already shown a willingness to push back against the Trump administration.<\/p>\n

Last year, he endorsed a special message from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops condemning recent immigration raids, which have targeted Chicago in particular.<\/p>\n

Hicks sang along with the ceremony\u2019s opening hymn, \u201cAll Creatures of Our God and King,\u201d before greeting the faithful and affirming his call.<\/p>\n

\u201cI accept the mandate of the Roman pontiff for the pastoral care of the people of God in the Archdiocese of New York,\u201d Hicks said. \u201cI resolve to serve faithfully the spiritual needs of this particular church.\u201d<\/p>\n

The changing of the guard began with birthday greetings for Dolan, who turned 76 on the same day he was stepping down. The thickly packed crowd joined together in a rousing chorus of \u201cHappy Birthday\u201d to the visibly humbled cardinal.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Barry Williams \/ New York Daily News<\/p>\n

A woman prays during the installation Mass for Archbishop-designate of New York Ronald Hicks at St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Friday. (Barry Williams \/ New York Daily News)<\/p>\n

Dolan had submitted his offer to resign back last year, as is required of all bishops once they turn 75.<\/p>\n

The New York Archdiocese serves 2.5 million Catholics in Manhattan, the Bronx and Staten Island, as well as seven counties to the north of the city.<\/p>\n

\"ArchbishopArchbishop Ronald Hicks walks with an Apostolic Letter during Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Friday, Feb. 6, 2026, in Manhattan, New York. (Barry Williams\/ New York Daily News)
\n\"PeoplePeople line the streets outside St. Patricks Cathedral after Archbishop Ronald Hicks was installed as the Archbishop of New York Friday, Feb. 6, 2026 in Manhattan, New York. (Barry Williams\/ New York Daily News)
\n\"CardinalCardinal Timothy Dolan is pictured at St. Patrick’s Cathedral during Mass Friday, Feb. 6, 2026, in Manhattan, New York. (Barry Williams\/ New York Daily News)
\n\"Archbishop<\/p>\n

Barry Williams\/ New York Daily News<\/p>\n

Archbishop Ronald Hicks gives a homily at St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Friday. (Barry Williams\/ New York Daily News)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Archbishop Ronald Hicks was officially installed Friday as New York\u2019s top Catholic leader, outlining a vision of a…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":125808,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[85,267,75,84,83,9,24,264,10,12,63],"class_list":["post-125807","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-manhattan","tag-latest-headlines","tag-local-news","tag-manhattan","tag-manhattan-headlines","tag-manhattan-news","tag-new-york","tag-new-york-city","tag-new-york-county","tag-new-york-news","tag-news","tag-nyc"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/125807","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=125807"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/125807\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/125808"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=125807"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=125807"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=125807"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}