Joliet Bishop Ronald Hicks to Succeed Cardinal Dolan as Archbishop of New York

Sources close to the Dicastery for Bishops confirmed the appointment to The Pillar.​

Pope Leo XIV is expected to appoint Bishop Ronald Hicks of Joliet as the next Archbishop of New York, The Pillar has confirmed, with an announcement expected as early as Dec. 18.



Bishop Ronald Hicks.

Rumors about the prospect of a Hicks move to New York began circulating Monday, following a report forecasting the move at the Spanish Religión Digital website. Chicago media figures fueled speculation online about an imminent appointment, with rumors continuing to circulate among ecclesiastical figures and Church-watchers.

Sources close to the Dicastery for Bishops in Rome confirmed the appointment to The PillarDec. 16, indicating that the move is likely to be announced Thursday.

Hicks will succeed Cardinal Timothy Dolan, 75, who has served in New York since 2009. The bishop’s appointment will bring to an end months of speculation about Dolan’s successor, with several candidates speculated for the position.

The task of leading the New York archdiocese is not likely to be easy.

Dolan announced last week that the archdiocese is selling off real estate to put aside some $300 million, into a fund meant for the compensation of sexual abuse survivors. Real estate sold off for the fund includes the $100 million sale last year of the archdiocesan headquarters at 1011 First Avenue, after which chancery operations were moved to a former Catholic high school.

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