UPDATE: In a major leadership shift, Pope Leo XIV has announced the appointment of Ronald Hicks as the new Archbishop of New York, replacing Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who will step down after a notable 16-year tenure leading over two million Roman Catholics in the region. This urgent transition follows Dolan’s resignation, submitted on his 75th birthday in February, according to the Archdiocese of New York.
The announcement, made on Thursday, signifies a pivotal moment for the archdiocese, which encompasses hundreds of churches across New York City and its surroundings. Hicks, aged 58, has served as the bishop of the Diocese of Joliet, Illinois, since 2020 and is recognized for his extensive missionary work in El Salvador. His ordination took place in 1994 within the Archdiocese of Chicago.
This leadership change comes amidst significant financial developments within the archdiocese. Just days ago, the New York archdiocese revealed plans to sell the land beneath the Palace Hotel in Manhattan for $490 million. These funds will contribute to a new $300 million compensation fund aimed at settling claims from over 1,000 survivors of sexual abuse allegedly perpetrated by priests and church officials.
Dolan, initially ordained in Missouri and previously serving as the Bishop of Milwaukee, was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI in 2009. He was elevated to cardinal three years later and played a role in selecting both Pope Francis and Pope Leo XIV during papal conclaves. Throughout his tenure, he oversaw the archdiocese’s response to declining church attendance and the fallout from sexual abuse scandals, leading to the closure of schools and the consolidation of parishes. He also managed the renovation of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, a historic landmark that attracts visitors globally.
Cardinal Dolan has been a prominent conservative voice within the Catholic Church, advocating against legislation for physician-assisted death and opposing state measures that would strengthen abortion rights laws, recently supported by Governor Kathy Hochul.
As the archdiocese enters this new chapter under Hicks’s leadership, all eyes will be on how he addresses the ongoing challenges faced by the church, particularly the financial ramifications of the abuse settlements and the broader community’s needs.
This is a developing story, and further updates will follow as more details emerge.
