Pope Leo appoints Ronald Hicks as next Archbishop of New York

Pope Leo appointed Bishop Alden Ronald Hicks, who like the pope is from the Chicago area and has served in Latin America, as the next archbishop of New York.

Bishop Hicks, 58, will lead one of the Roman Catholic Church’s most populous and important offices in the United States.

He succeeds retired Cardinal Timothy Dolan, 75, who is seen as a conservative close to President Donald Trump. Hicks said he accepted the appointment announced Thursday “with an open mind,” and Dolan called it “an early Christmas gift” to New Yorkers.

Last month, Hicks joined other bishops in denouncing the Trump administration’s mass immigration-related arrests as part of its mass deportation agenda.

Hicks’ early life and priestly career closely resembled that of Pope Leo. He grew up in South Holland, not far from the Dalton neighborhood of Leo, a Chicago suburb.

Pope Leo spent two decades as a missionary in Peru, while Hicks worked in an orphanage in El Salvador from 2005 to 2010, according to a biography released by the Archdiocese of New York. Hicks was appointed bishop of Joliet in 2020 by Pope Francis.

Like the Pope, Hicks has been outspoken about his concerns about immigration.

“Deeply rooted in our gospel tradition of love for our neighbor, this letter affirms our solidarity with all our brothers and sisters because it clearly and firmly expresses our concerns, objections and hopes,” he said in response to a letter signed by U.S. bishops expressing concern about the situation facing immigrants in the United States.

“This is based on the Church’s enduring commitment to Catholic social teaching on human dignity and a call for meaningful immigration reform,” he said.

The Trump administration has made mass immigration arrests in the Chicago area, leading to clashes between federal agents and residents protesting their presence.

The bishops wrote the letter as the church grapples with immigration affecting its members.

According to a report by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the majority of those at risk of deportation are Christians, with 61% of the highest-risk group being Catholic.

Hicks will now resign as bishop of Joliet and move to the ornate sanctuary of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Manhattan, where he will lead the nation’s 2.5 million Catholics in the largest city. He will be officially installed at the cathedral on February 6, 2026.

A week ago, Cardinal Dolan, who served in New York City for about 16 years, announced that the archdiocese would establish a $300 million fund to address clergy sex abuse allegations.

“As a Church, we will never stop working to prevent abuse, protect children and care for survivors,” the incoming archbishop said at a news conference.

“While this work has been challenging, difficult, and painful, I hope it will continue to help in areas of accountability, transparency, and healing.”

Cardinal Dolan of Missouri announced his resignation in February, when the bishop turns 75, as required by canon law. He was named leader of the church in New York in 2009 by Pope Benedict XVI, who later made him a cardinal.

He participated in two conclaves, one to elect Pope Francis in 2013 and the second to elect Leo XIV last May.

The cardinal led prayers at both of Trump’s inaugurations and was appointed by the president to a new religious liberty commission earlier this year.