Bishop Hicks of Joliet Appointed to New York City Position
Pope Leo XIV is poised to appoint Bishop Ronald Hicks of Joliet as the new Archbishop of New York. This announcement is expected as early as December 18. Sources from the Dicastery for Bishops in Rome confirmed the appointment on December 16. Hicks will succeed Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who has held the position since 2009.
Bishop Ronald Hicks: A Profile
Bishop Ronald Hicks, aged 58, has a wealth of administrative experience. He was born on August 4, 1967, in Harvey, Illinois. Hicks attended a local Catholic grade school before studying philosophy at Niles College of Loyola University, graduating in 1989. He later obtained a master of divinity and a doctor of ministry degree from the University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein.
- Ordained as a priest in 1994
- Served at multiple parishes in the Archdiocese of Chicago until 1999
- Appointed dean of formation at St. Joseph College Seminary in 1999
- Spent five years in El Salvador as a regional director for an orphanage
- Became dean of formation at Mundelein Seminary in 2010
- Named archdiocesan vicar general in 2015
- Ordained as auxiliary bishop in 2018
- Served as Bishop of Joliet since 2020
Hicks is also the chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life, and Vocations. His extensive experience in the Church will be crucial as he steps into this new role.
Challenges Ahead for the New Archbishop
Bishop Hicks faces significant challenges upon his appointment. Cardinal Dolan recently announced plans to sell real estate assets to establish a $300 million fund for compensating sexual abuse survivors. This includes the $100 million sale of the archdiocesan headquarters at 1011 First Avenue, which prompted a relocation of chancery operations.
The archdiocese is currently engaged in litigation with Chubb Insurance, which has allegedly failed to honor its policies. Additionally, the New York archdiocese has struggled to attract new priestly vocations, with only two candidates applying for diocesan formation in 2024. Between 1970 and 2020, the number of priests in the archdiocese declined by 51%.
Religious Practice and Population Trends
The archdiocese serves a Catholic population of approximately 2.5 million across 300 parishes. However, religious practice has substantially decreased over the past five decades, despite a notable increase in the Catholic population by more than 50% during this period.
Connection with Pope Leo XIV
Speculation regarding Hicks’s appointment stems partly from his brief interaction with Pope Leo XIV when the latter was Cardinal Robert Prevost. Hicks appreciates the pope’s willingness to address difficult issues and his approachable nature. He recognized commonalities with Prevost, attributing their friendship to shared experiences in their youth, but humorously noted that he remains a devoted Chicago Cubs fan.
As he prepares to take on this prominent role, Bishop Hicks’s leadership will be closely scrutinized by both ecclesiastical figures and the broader community. His transitional journey from Joliet to New York will mark a significant chapter in his clerical career.
