Former Joliet Bishop Ronald Hicks takes over as Archbishop of New York
Former Joliet Bishop Ronald Hicks was installed on Friday as the new Archbishop of New York in a ceremony at St. Patrick's Cathedral in Midtown Manhattan.
It was a historic moment for a man who grew up in the south suburbs of Chicago.
Hicks, who until this week led the Diocese of Joliet, knocked on the door of St. Patrick's Cathedral, marking a pivotal moment in his life.
As the doors opened, Hicks was welcomed by retiring Cardinal Timothy Dolan, signaling the official transfer of leadership to Hicks, as the new Archbishop of the Archdiocese of New York.
"With faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and with the love of God in my heart, I accept the mandate of the Roman pontiff, for the pastoral care of the people of God and the Archdiocese of New York. I resolve to serve faithfully the spiritual needs of this particular church," Hicks said.
It was the beginning of a new era for Hicks, born in Harvey and raised in South Holland, not far from Dolton where the man who appointed him, Chicago's own Pope Leo XIV, grew up.
Elisabeth Roman has known Hicks for a decade.
"When you meet him, he is charismatic, he has a heart for the people," she said.
Roman worked with Hicks in Chicago when he served as an auxiliary bishop at the Archdiocese of Chicago, and later at the Diocese of Joliet where he served as bishop.
"He speaks perfect Spanish, he's fluent, he loves to speak to the Latino community in their own language," Roman said.
Portions of Hicks' installation mass were in Spanish. Roman said Hicks has a heart for the Latino community, after living for five years in El Salvador and working as a regional director of an organization caring for orphaned and abandoned children.
"With the challenging issues that we have with immigration, I think he can be a bridge builder, to be honest with you, in New York," Roman said.
During his remarks at St. Patrick's, Hicks also showed everyone he has a sense of humor, while professing his love for the Big Apple through lyrics from the Jay-Z and Alicia Keys song "Empire State of Mind."
"Concrete jungles where dreams are made of, there's nothing you can't do, now you're in New York," Hicks said.
Roman said, knowing Hicks, his first order of business as Archbishop of New York, will be to listen. When he got to the Diocese of Joliet, Hicks had sessions with staff to listen to concerns. Roman said that speaks to his heart and mission.
