Archbishop Ronald Hicks, the newly appointed leader of New York's Roman Catholic community, is set to be officially installed as archbishop this Friday at St. Patrick's Cathedral in Midtown Manhattan.
In his first major press conference since being chosen by Pope Leo XIV, Hicks emphasized his commitment to bringing new life to the faith and reconnecting with those who have lost touch. "How do we pass our faith on to the next generation? How do we be a Church that is relevant, living, and beautiful, sharing our faith together?" he asked in response to this question.
The 58-year-old Hicks brings a unique set of skills to the role, including his ability to speak fluent Spanish. A native of Chicago, where Pope Leo XIV is also from, Hicks shares the pontiff's affection for deep-dish pizza and previously served as bishop of the Diocese of Joliet in Illinois.
As New York's first archbishop who is fluent in Spanish, Hicks is poised to connect with the city's diverse Catholic population. David Gibson, director of the Center on Religion and Culture at Fordham University, believes that Hicks will try to be a unifying figure, given Pope Leo's mantra of "unity". However, Gibson also noted that this task may prove challenging, especially in today's polarized climate.
Hicks' predecessor, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, has praised his successor as "immensely qualified" for the role. When Hicks submitted his resignation to become archbishop-designate at 75, a traditional age of retirement for diocesan bishops, Dolan offered his full cooperation and pledged his fidelity to the new leader.
On Friday, Hicks will be formally installed during a mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral, where he also led a prayer service earlier this week.
In his first major press conference since being chosen by Pope Leo XIV, Hicks emphasized his commitment to bringing new life to the faith and reconnecting with those who have lost touch. "How do we pass our faith on to the next generation? How do we be a Church that is relevant, living, and beautiful, sharing our faith together?" he asked in response to this question.
The 58-year-old Hicks brings a unique set of skills to the role, including his ability to speak fluent Spanish. A native of Chicago, where Pope Leo XIV is also from, Hicks shares the pontiff's affection for deep-dish pizza and previously served as bishop of the Diocese of Joliet in Illinois.
As New York's first archbishop who is fluent in Spanish, Hicks is poised to connect with the city's diverse Catholic population. David Gibson, director of the Center on Religion and Culture at Fordham University, believes that Hicks will try to be a unifying figure, given Pope Leo's mantra of "unity". However, Gibson also noted that this task may prove challenging, especially in today's polarized climate.
Hicks' predecessor, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, has praised his successor as "immensely qualified" for the role. When Hicks submitted his resignation to become archbishop-designate at 75, a traditional age of retirement for diocesan bishops, Dolan offered his full cooperation and pledged his fidelity to the new leader.
On Friday, Hicks will be formally installed during a mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral, where he also led a prayer service earlier this week.
, I mean like Archbishop Ronald Hicks is super hyped about being the new face of New York's Catholic community, but let me break it down for u 
. So, first off, fluency in Spanish is awesome and all, but what really matters is how he's gonna make the Church more relatable and not just stuck in the past, you know? 
Like, we need a leader who can connect with everyone, regardless of their background or beliefs. And btw, have you guys tried that new deep-dish pizza place downtown? 
it's totes life-changing! 
. I mean, Cardinal Dolan thinks he's a great guy and all, but we'll just have to wait and see if Hicks lives up to the hype 
. Either way, it's gonna be a wild ride! 
he sounds like an amazing person and i love that he speaks fluent spanish! 
it's gonna be awesome to see him connect with new york's diverse catholic population 
i hope he can bring a fresh vibe to the faith and make it more relatable for younger generations 
david gibson's comment about hicks being a unifying figure is really true, especially with pope leo's unity mantra 
let's send all our positive vibes to archbishop hicks as he gets installed this friday! 
I'm not sure if it's a good thing that our new archbishop is fluent in Spanish...I mean, I want my kid to learn any language they're interested in, but with the way politics can get, I worry about what kinda pressure he'll be under to "connect" with everyone. Like, isn't his job just to lead the church and make tough decisions? 
You gotta adjust, right?
. anyway, wish him all the best on friday!
. Like, our city is so diverse and we need people like him to help us understand each other better 
... but I'm not sure if I'll be able to make it this Friday 
... which I definitely agree with 
. Anyway, can't wait to see how the new archbishop turns out! 
He seems like a pretty cool guy and his Spanish skills are definitely gonna help him connect with the city's diverse Catholic population 
But, I'm a bit curious about what kinda changes he's gonna make - does he wanna shake things up or keep it traditional? 
. pope leo XIV seems cool tho, but this unity thing is just a buzzword... how do u make faith relatable 2 ppl who grew up w/ google at their fingertips? 
... and share our faith with each other? Sounds like Pope Leo XIV is onto something 
. Maybe he'll even introduce us to some Chicago-style pizza at the archbishop's residence 
⚀️
I'm so stoked to see Archbishop Ronald Hicks stepping into his role! 
His fluency in Spanish is gonna be super helpful for the diverse crowd in NYC, you know? 