The news came after Dolan sent a mandatory retirement request to Pope Leo in February as he reached his 75th birthday.<\/p>\n
“There are rumblings that this week Pope Leo will accept Cardinal Dolan\u2019s resignation and appoint Bishop Ron Hicks<\/a> to replace him,” the source told Fox News Digital.<\/p>\n REPORTER\u2019S NOTEBOOK: ON THE PAPAL PLANE AND BEYOND \u2014 COVERING POPE LEO XIV\u2019S FIRST FOREIGN TRIP<\/a><\/p>\n Bishop Ronald Hicks of Joliet expected to be appointed as New York’s next archbishop. (YouTube\/Diocese of Joliet)<\/p>\n The source also highlighted that “it would be very strange to replace a beloved cardinal before Christmas.”<\/p>\n This latest development signals an imminent shift in leadership<\/a> for one of the most prominent Catholic archdioceses in the world, and also just before Christmas.<\/p>\n Dolan has served as archbishop of New York since 2009, when Pope Benedict XVI appointed him after his tenure in Milwaukee.<\/p>\n Hicks, 58, could have emerged as a leading contender because of his Midwestern roots<\/a> and reputation.<\/p>\n SEN. TIM SCOTT OUTLINES IMPORTANCE OF FAITH IN EVERYDAY AMERICAN LIFE<\/a><\/p>\n Cardinal Dolan joined Maria Bartiromo for an exclusive interview at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City, (Fox News\/Screengrab)<\/p>\n Born in Harvey, Illinois, and raised in South Holland, Hicks was appointed bishop of Joliet by Pope Francis<\/a> in 2020.<\/p>\n His ties to Illinois and to the Chicago region, where Pope Leo also grew up, could be seen as strengthening his standing.<\/p>\n Speaking about the pontiff<\/a> shortly after his election in 2024, Hicks told WGN-TV that the pope felt “relatable,” noting, “He\u2019s a normal guy from a normal neighborhood we grew up in.”<\/p>\n POPE LEO XIV AGREES TO THROW OUT FIRST PITCH AT WHITE SOX NEW STADIUM AFTER INVITE FROM TEAM OWNER<\/a><\/p>\n Pope Leo XIV boards a plane to Ankara at Rome’s Fiumicino international airport, Italy, on November 27, 2025.\u00a0 (Riccardo De Luca\/Anadolu via Getty Images)<\/p>\n On Monday, Rob Astorino, a Westchester County executive with ties to Dolan and the New York archdiocese, shared a post on X on the matter.<\/p>\n “Strong rumors that @Pontifex has accepted the resignation of @CardinalDolan and will appoint Bishop Ron Hicks of Joliet, Illinois,” the post read.<\/p>\n PRITZKER SEEKS SYMPATHY FROM POPE LEO OVER TRUMP\u2019S CHICAGO IMMIGRATION \u2018BLITZ\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n If confirmed, Hicks would also take over leadership at a moment of difficulty for the Archdiocese of New York.<\/p>\n The church is confronting more than 1,300 clergy sexual-abuse claims<\/a>, prompting an urgent need to raise approximately $300 million in settlement funds.\u00a0<\/p>\n On Dec. 9, the archdiocese announced it would compensate victims, according to Fox 5<\/a>.<\/p>\n To meet these obligations, the archdiocese has enacted layoffs, cut its operating budget by 10%, and begun selling major real estate assets<\/a>.<\/p>\n It also announced the $490 million sale of the land beneath the Lotte New York Palace Hotel, while another $100 million is expected from selling its former headquarters at 1011 First Avenue.<\/p>\n![\"Bishop](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/ron-hicks.jpg\")
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