Bishop Ronald A. Hicks, 58, currently head of the Diocese of Joliet, Illinois, will become the next archbishop of New York, a move widely anticipated as Pope Leo’s first major decision in his home country, News.Az reports, citing The New York Times.
The appointment reflects the pope’s preference for pastoral focus and smooth governance, echoing his own unexpected rise earlier this year from relative obscurity.
Soft-spoken and steady, Bishop Hicks has avoided outspoken political stances, in contrast to Cardinal Dolan, who has championed conservative causes, frequently appeared on Fox News, and notably prayed at both of President Donald Trump’s inaugurations.
The selection indicates a notable shift in leadership style for New York’s archdiocese—the nation’s second largest—serving 2.5 million Catholics across the city’s five boroughs and northern suburbs. The appointment comes at a pivotal moment in both the city’s religious and political life.
Cardinal Dolan, who rose to prominence during the Obama era, has long encouraged Catholic leaders to engage in political debates on issues like abortion and same-sex marriage. He became particularly popular among center-right Catholics after challenging the Obama administration’s contraception mandate and recently described the assassinated conservative activist Charlie Kirk as “a modern-day Saint Paul.”
