It's Official: Bishop Leaving Diocese Of Joliet, Will Replace Cardinal Dolan In New York

JOLIET, IL — Days after reports that Diocese of Joliet Bishop Ronald Hicks is headed to New York, the news was confirmed: Pope Leo XIV, a native of Dolton, has appointed Hicks — a native of nearby Harvey — to replace Cardinal Timothy Dolan.

"The Vatican announced today that Pope Leo XIV has appointed Bishop Ronald A. Hicks as the 11th Archbishop of the Archdiocese of New York," the Diocese of Joliet announced Thursday, adding, Archbishop-designate Hicks will be installed on Friday, February 6, 2026, at St. Patrick’s Cathedral."

Hicks, 58, has served as bishop of the Diocese of Joliet since 2020, when Pope Francis appointed him to replace former Bishop Daniel Conlon.

"I have been deeply blessed to serve the people of the Diocese of Joliet," Hicks said in a statement from the diocese. "I will carry the faith, generosity, and the spirit of this diocese with me as I begin this new chapter of ministry."

He also expressed gratitude to Pope Leo XIV and acknowledged Dolan's 17 years of leadership in the Archdiocese of New York, the second-largest Catholic dioceses in the country behind Los Angeles.

The New York Times reported that "soft-spoken and steady" Hicks "is expected to bring a markedly different leadership style" to the archdiocese of New York, contrasted with Dolan, who has been outspoken about promoting conservative politics and often appeared on Fox News. His selection "signals (the pope's) embrace of a more mild and unifying style after the political upheaval of Pope Francis’s papacy, while preserving the spirit of the late pope’s reforms," the NYT said.

Hicks will continue serving the Diocese of Joliet until his installation in New York, according to the diocese, which did not announce who will serve after Hicks' departure.