Pope Leo XIV has made his most consequential appointment in the United States to date, selecting Bishop Ronald Hicks of Chicago as the next Archbishop of New York. The decision places a fellow Chicagoan at the helm of one of the largest, most influential archdioceses in the country at a moment of significant political and social tension.
Bishop Hicks will succeed Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who is retiring after years as a leading conservative voice within the U.S. Catholic hierarchy and a highly visible figure in national public life. The New York archdiocese plays an outsized role in shaping Catholic engagement on issues ranging from immigration and social justice to church–state relations, and the transition signals a potentially notable shift in tone and priorities.
The appointment comes as the Catholic Church in the United States continues to navigate a complex relationship with the Trump administration, particularly amid renewed immigration enforcement efforts that have directly affected Catholic communities, parishes, and charitable organizations. As archbishop, Hicks will be expected to balance pastoral leadership, public advocacy, and diplomatic engagement with federal and state authorities, while overseeing a vast network of parishes, schools, and social service agencies across New York.
Church observers are likely to scrutinize how Hicks’ background, leadership style, and Midwestern roots influence his approach to one of the most prominent pulpits in American Catholicism.
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