Archbishop Ronald Hicks officially assumed his new role on Friday at the renowned St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City, succeeding Cardinal Timothy Dolan following his retirement.

“I happen to like New York. I happen to love this town. So, start spreadin’ the news, I’m starting today,” Hicks enthusiastically declared as he began his duties as archbishop, according to the Archdiocese of New York. “Here are a few things you should know about me: I love Jesus. I love the Church. And I love people.”

Hicks, who has been serving as the Bishop of Joliet, Illinois since September 2020, now becomes the fourteenth bishop and the eleventh archbishop of the Archdiocese of New York.

During the Installation Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Manhattan on February 6, 2026, New York’s new Archbishop, Ronald A. Hicks, who takes over from Cardinal Timothy Dolan, proudly held up a letter from Pope Leo XIV confirming his appointment. (Angelina Katsanis/Pool/Reuters)

The installation ceremony adhered to tradition, beginning with Archbishop Hicks knocking on the cathedral doors to symbolize his entry into leadership. He tapped the doors of St. Patrick’s Cathedral with a metal hammer and was welcomed by Dolan, as reported by WNYW. The ceremony included three processions featuring honored guests, church leadership, and several bishops.

Hicks shared his aspirations for his tenure, emphasizing that the Church should prioritize outreach and charitable work over merely serving its current members.

“This is a call to be a missionary Church, not a country club. A club exists to serve its members. The Church, on the other hand, exists to go out and serve all people, on fire with faith, hope, and charity in the name of Jesus Christ. This is not a criticism, but an invitation to renew who we are and rediscover why the Church exists,” Hicks said, according to the Archdiocese of New York.

Archbishop Ronald Hicks knocks on the central doors of St. Patrick’s Cathedral to begin the Ceremony of Reception for his Mass of Installation, Friday, Feb. 6, 2026, in New York. (Stefan Jeremiah/Pool via Reuters)

The shift in leadership from Dolan to Hicks signals the U.S. Church could be moving into a new era with the Chicago-born Pope Leo XIV as the first American pope, The Associated Press noted. The outlet also suggested that Hicks, who is seen as a Leo-style bishop, could join Church leaders who are already pushing back against the Trump administration on issues, such as immigration.

Dolan, who has led the archdiocese since 2009, announced his retirement in December and submitted it in February when he turned 75, as the Church requires. Hicks was named his successor in December and was installed on Dolan’s 75th birthday, something he mentioned in his homily.

New York Archbishop Ronald A. Hicks, who is taking over from Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who has held the post since 2009, leaves following his installation Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Feb. 6, 2026, in New York City.  (Angelina Katsanis – Pool/Getty Images)

“To Cardinal Dolan, thank you for your magnanimous leadership here for seventeen years. In particular, thank you for the gracious support you have shown me both publicly and privately. And by the way, we know that today is your birthday. Happy Birthday to you, and ‘ad multos annos,’” Hicks said. “Ad multos annos,” means “to many more years” in Latin.

Hicks was ordained as a priest on May 21, 1994, in the Archdiocese of Chicago. From 2005 to 2009, he led Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos, a charity that cares for orphans in Latin America. Hicks’ work with the charity, combined with his fluency in Spanish, helped deepen his ties to immigrant communities. Additionally, the AP noted that Hicks had requested that the liturgy at his installation also be said in Spanish.