As Most Reverend Ronald Hicks is about to be installed as archbishop of New York on February 6, Catholic Extension Society is proud to watch a current member on our Board of Governors and a former bishop of Joliet accept the responsibility of shepherding one of the largest archdioceses in the country, home to 2.5 million Catholics.
The 58-year-old archbishop-designate is someone truly worthy of the assignment, as he brings a missionary’s heart to Manhattan.
A man of faith and substance
On December 18, when the Vatican announced his appointment, Archbishop-designate Hicks thanked Pope Leo XIV for his confidence in him and what was surely a big decision. He said,
I feel a deep sense of affinity with the Holy Father.”
Hicks went on to explain that his connection to the pope goes beyond the fact that the two grew up 14 blocks away from each other in Chicago’s South Suburbs, where he said they probably “played in the same parks” and “swam in the same public pools.”
More importantly, Hicks pointed out, he and the pope both had the great privilege of serving in Latin America—experiences that altered their lives. The Holy Father served as bishop of a poor diocese in Peru, while Hicks served in Mexico as a seminarian and El Salvador as a priest.
As a young man discerning a call to the priesthood in the late 1980s, Hicks took a year off from his studies with the goal of learning Spanish. He volunteered in an orphanage, Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos (“Our Little Brothers and Sisters”), in Central Mexico. More than learning a language, he came back in love with the people.
He was ordained in 1994 for the Archdiocese of Chicago, where he served in various parishes and local seminaries. But his missionary heart remained with him.
In 2005, Hicks became regional director for Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos and was based in El Salvador for five years, working to help vulnerable and impoverished children flourish throughout Central America. This wasn’t just a job, but another life-changing experience that shaped his priesthood as he returned to Chicago.
Recognizing Father Hicks’ unique talents, Archbishop Blase Cupich of Chicago, our chancellor, tapped Father Hicks as his vicar general in 2014, later ordaining him as an auxiliary bishop in 2018. Two years later Pope Francis named Bishop Hicks as the bishop of the Diocese of Joliet, Illinois. But his vocation as bishop was never separated from his missionary heart.
That missionary spirit is evident in his bishop’s shield, which includes a sprig of rosemary, the Spanish meaning being “Romero”—a reference to the beloved Archbishop of San Salvador, Saint Óscar Romero, who was martyred in 1980 for his defense of the voiceless. This signals that Hicks, too, wants to be a bishop that prioritizes the least of God’s people, no matter the importance of his day-to-day duties.
In 2022, Bishop Hicks joined Catholic Extension Society’s Board of Governors at the invitation of our president, Father Jack Wall, pictured on the right below. Bishop Hicks has helped Catholic Extension Society build up the Church’s presence among the poor and in the poorest regions of the country. Days before his announcement as the new archbishop of New York, he was elected to another three-year term on our board—which Hicks says that he will happily fulfill.
Ready to lead
New Yorkers will appreciate that Hicks is driven by a sense of duty that fuels his remarkable work ethic. He is a masterful preacher, with homilies that reflect his relatability as a human being and man of faith. He speaks Spanish effortlessly and idiomatically when visiting Latino parishes and out in the community.
While he will continue to root for the Chicago Cubs and eat deep-dish pizza, Hicks told the people of New York that he will surely acclimate to their culture, sports teams and, yes, even their pizza.
As he steps into a massive new role in New York, he will be a man grounded by his love of God, the poor and the people he serves. Hicks will bring his missionary’s heart and give it away to the people.
We are proud that from Catholic Extension Society’s Board of Governors such an important leader has emerged for the American Church. We pray for the Archdiocese of New York that they will fall in love with their new shepherd, just as he will surely love them.
We will be providing live reflections from inside the installation events. Sign up for our special email series, The Pope’s New Man for Manhattan, here.
