Pope Leo has named Bishop Ronald A. Hicks to succeed Cardinal Timothy Dolan as leader of the Archdiocese of New York, a high-profile U.S. Catholic post based at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The change comes as Cardinal Dolan retires after serving in the role since 2009, and it signals a shift in tone and leadership style for the archdiocese. Multiple outlets frame the appointment as aligned with Pope Leo’s public emphasis on migrants’ rights, especially as President Trump’s administration intensifies immigration enforcement. Hicks, who has past experience working in El Salvador on a church program supporting orphaned children, highlighted his connection to Latino Catholics and his desire to serve a diverse city and church community.

Highlights:

• Installation date: Hicks is scheduled to be formally installed as archbishop on February 6, placing a near-term marker on the leadership transition for Catholics in the New York area.
• Spanish-language outreach: At a New York press conference after the Vatican announcement, Hicks emphasized that he speaks Spanish and described the Latino community as “a vital part of the church,” signaling a pastoral priority for New York’s large Spanish-speaking Catholic population.
• Dolan’s profile: Cardinal Dolan has been widely known as a prominent conservative voice in U.S. Catholic leadership and has had a public relationship with President Trump, who earlier this year praised Dolan as a potential papal candidate, according to Time’s reporting.
• Midwestern continuity: National Review noted that both the outgoing cardinal and the incoming archbishop come from Midwestern roots, and it looked back at Dolan’s tenure while introducing Hicks to readers as New York’s next church leader.
• Leadership style shift: The New York Times reported that Hicks is expected to bring a “markedly different leadership style” to the archdiocese, suggesting internal changes in how the church is led and communicates in the nation’s largest media market.

And I have a great heart for the Latino community. - Bishop Ronald Hicks

Perspectives:

• Pope Leo: By appointing Hicks to succeed Dolan, the pope is portrayed as prioritizing support for migrants’ rights and elevating leaders who reflect that focus in the U.S. church hierarchy. (Time)
• Bishop Ronald Hicks: Hicks presented himself as shaped by ministry with Latino Catholics and as committed to serving a diverse church, pointing to his years in El Salvador and his desire to “love all people.”. (Time)
• Cardinal Timothy Dolan: Time reported that Dolan, while supportive of President Trump, has at times urged a less hard-line and more “unifying” approach on immigration that combines border security with “sound, fair, and benevolent” policy. (Time)
• National Review commentary: National Review framed the handoff as a noteworthy moment for New York Catholics at Christmas-time and suggested there is “much to say” about Dolan’s tenure and to learn about Hicks as the incoming leader. (National Review)
• Le Monde framing: Le Monde characterized the decision as replacing a pro-Trump cardinal with a pro-migrant bishop and tied the move to the U.S. administration’s mass deportation orders and rhetoric about migrants and refugees. (Le Monde)

Sources:

• Pope Leo Replaces New York’s Retiring Archbishop, a Friend of President Trump, With a Pro-Migrant Successor - time.com
• Pope Leo Appoints Bishop Ronald Hicks to Succeed Timothy Dolan - nytimes.com
• New York Gets a New Bishop for Christmas: From One Midwestern Priest to Another - nationalreview.com
• Pope Leo replaces pro-Trump cardinal with pro-migrant bishop from Chicago - lemonde.fr