{"id":133730,"date":"2026-02-14T21:21:30","date_gmt":"2026-02-14T21:21:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/133730\/"},"modified":"2026-02-14T21:21:30","modified_gmt":"2026-02-14T21:21:30","slug":"staten-island-pastor-leads-filipino-apostolate-at-archbishops-installation-in-st-patricks-cathedral","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/133730\/","title":{"rendered":"Staten Island pastor leads Filipino Apostolate at Archbishop\u2019s installation in St. Patrick\u2019s Cathedral"},"content":{"rendered":"

NEW YORK, N.Y. \u2014 A Staten Island pastor and members of the Filipino Catholic Apostolate attended the Feb. 5 installation Mass for Archbishop Ronald A. Hicks at St. Patrick\u2019s Cathedral, marking an important moment for the Archdiocese of New York.<\/p>\n

The Filipino Catholic Apostolate, commonly known as FILCA, was represented at the solemn liturgy by its chaplain, the Rev. Rhey Garcia, <\/a>pastor of Sacred Heart Church in West Brighton, along with other members of the clergy.<\/p>\n

The Mass formally installed Archbishop Hicks as leader of the Archdiocese of New York, one of the largest and most diverse dioceses in the United States.<\/p>\n

\u201cWitnessing this moment reminds me that the Church is alive \u2014 not frozen by the cold or by time \u2014 but constantly renewed by faithful servants,\u201d Father Garcia said. \u201cMay this new era of shepherding draw us closer to Christ, the eternal Shepherd, who leads us home to the Father.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"ArchbishopArchbishop Ronald Hicks gives the homily during his Mass of Installation at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Friday, Feb. 6, 2026, in New York. AP<\/p>\n

Father Garcia<\/a> said the weather outside was 17 degrees, but the atmosphere inside St. Patrick\u2019s Cathedral was filled with warmth drawn from the enthusiasm of the faithful and the grace of the historic day.<\/p>\n

\u201cOver 2,000 guests filled St. Patrick\u2019s Cathedral, including about 90 bishops, six cardinals and nearly 800 priests,\u201d he said. \u201cIt was a ceremony rich in traditions that, for centuries, have marked the Church\u2019s transition from one shepherd to another.\u201d<\/p>\n

Father Garcia recounted that at exactly 2 p.m., the cathedral bells tolled as Archbishop Hicks stood outside the great bronze doors while parishioners gathered behind barricades, singing praise songs under the watch of the New York City Police Department.<\/p>\n

\"ArchbishopArchbishop Ronald Hicks gives the homily during his Mass of Installation at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Friday, Feb. 6, 2026, in New York. AP<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Archbishop\u2019s secretary handed him a mallet, and he struck the heavy door three times,\u201d Father Garcia said. \u201cThe rector opened the doors with the help of staff, and as the Archbishop stepped in from the freezing air, the faithful erupted into welcoming applause.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said Archbishop Hicks was handed by the vicar general a crucifix from El Salvador \u2014 a gift from orphaned children he once served \u2014 and Archbishop Hicks kissed it reverently before processing down the aisle, blessing the faithful along the way. <\/p>\n

After embracing his sister-in-law near the altar, the Apostolic Letter of Pope Leo, written in Latin and bearing the papal seal on parchment, was proclaimed and presented to the faithful.<\/p>\n

\"NewArchbishop-designate Ronald Hicks puts on a hat during a Vespers service at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, in New York. AP<\/p>\n

\u201cCardinal (Timothy) Dolan and the apostolic nuncio, the pope\u2019s ambassador, then accompanied Archbishop Hicks to the cathedra, handing him the pastoral staff,\u201d Father Garcia said. \u201cThe transition was complete.\u201d<\/p>\n

The cathedra is the formal, elevated seat or throne of a bishop, situated in the sanctuary of a cathedral church. It symbolizes the bishop\u2019s teaching authority, pastoral power, and leadership within their diocese; its presence defines a cathedral.<\/p>\n

FILCA leaders said their presence underscored unity with the archdiocese and the group\u2019s commitment to serving Filipino Catholics across New York. <\/p>\n

They also expressed gratitude for the archdiocese\u2019s formal recognition of FILCA as an official apostolate, affirming the growing role of Filipino Catholics in the local Church.<\/p>\n

\"NewArchbishop-designate Ronald Hicks leaves a Vespers service at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, in New York. AP<\/p>\n

The Feb. 5, 2026, installation was not Father Garcia\u2019s first major liturgy at St. Patrick\u2019s Cathedral. <\/p>\n

On Dec. 5, 2025, he helped oversee preparations under the guidance of the archdiocese\u2019s Cultural Diversity Apostolate for a historic Mass \u2014 the first at the cathedral led by FILCA.<\/p>\n

At that celebration, Father Garcia welcomed the congregation and noted the significance of the occasion.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis year is especially meaningful, as for the first time the Filipino Catholic Apostolate \u2014 FILCA \u2014 is overseeing the preparations for Simbang Gabi sa Katedral under the loving care of the Cultural Diversity Apostolate of the Archdiocese of New York,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The event was coordinated in partnership with Simbang Gabi sa Katedral Inc., led by the Rev. Dr. Joseph Marabe, permanent chair of the organization, who has long guided the cathedral observance.<\/p>\n

\"ArchbishopArchbishop Ronald Hicks gives the homily during his Mass of Installation at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Friday, Feb. 6, 2026, in New York. AP<\/p>\n

Father Garcia said Simbang Gabi is not merely a cultural tradition but a living expression of faith that draws people closer to one another and to God.<\/p>\n

The Filipino Catholic Apostolate supports the spiritual life of Filipino Catholics through liturgical celebrations, preservation of cultural traditions and community outreach programs. <\/p>\n

For more information about the Filipino Catholic Apostolate, contact filcc.ny25@gmail.com<\/a> or call 718-442-0058.<\/p>\n

\"NewArchbishop-designate Ronald Hicks listens to the hymn during a Vespers service at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, in New York. AP\"ArchbishopArchbishop Ronald Hicks sits for communion during his Mass of Installation at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Friday, Feb. 6, 2026, in New York. AP\"(Advance\/SILive.comRev. Rizalino \u201cRhey\u201d Garcia, pastor of Sacred Heart Church in West Brighton, is shown leading a special Archdiocesan celebration honoring St. Lorenzo Ruiz, the first Filipino saint, at St. Patrick\u2019s Cathedral on Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025. (Advance\/SILive.com | Dr. Gracelyn Santos)\"(Advance\/SILive.comRev. Rizalino \u201cRhey\u201d Garcia, pastor of Sacred Heart Church in West Brighton, is shown leading a special Archdiocesan celebration honoring St. Lorenzo Ruiz, the first Filipino saint, at St. Patrick\u2019s Cathedral on Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025.(Advance\/SILive.com | Dr. Gracelyn Santos)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"NEW YORK, N.Y. \u2014 A Staten Island pastor and members of the Filipino Catholic Apostolate attended the Feb.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":133731,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[39],"tags":[9,24,63,134,136,135],"class_list":["post-133730","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-staten-island","tag-new-york","tag-new-york-city","tag-nyc","tag-staten-island","tag-staten-island-headlines","tag-staten-island-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/133730","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=133730"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/133730\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/133731"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=133730"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=133730"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=133730"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}