Pope Leo XIV has replaced Cardinal Timothy Dolan as Archbishop of New York in a significant leadership reshuffle within the U.S. Catholic Church, the Vatican announced on Thursday. Dolan, one of the most prominent figures in the American Church and a former president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, had offered his resignation after reaching the canonical retirement age of 75, as required by Church law.
The pope has appointed Bishop Ronald Hicks of Joliet, Illinois, to succeed Dolan as the leader of the Archdiocese of New York, the nation’s second-largest Catholic jurisdiction, serving millions of faithful across Manhattan, the Bronx, Staten Island and surrounding counties. At 58, Hicks brings a reputation for pastoral leadership and is viewed as aligned with the reformist vision associated with recent Vatican priorities.
The transition underscores Pope Leo’s broader intent to shape U.S. Church leadership in a direction that emphasizes inclusivity and pastoral outreach, particularly at a time when the archdiocese faces significant challenges, including ongoing efforts to address clergy abuse settlement obligations and evolving social issues within the Catholic community.