Joliet - “I take my life of prayer very seriously… I want to unite my heart with the heart of Jesus.” If there is one sentence that captures the profile with which Msgr Ronald A. Hicks is preparing to lead the Archdiocese of New York, it is this: a pastor who places prayer at the centre and who, when speaking about his future ministry, consistently returns to the name he considers decisive, Jesus Christ. In the interview given to The Good Newsroom, recorded in Joliet, Illinois, as he brings his episcopal service in his former diocese to a close, the Archbishop-designate speaks without artifice: daily fidelity to the Holy Hour, the Eucharist as the axis of the day, and the desire to “do the will of the Father” as the criterion for decisions, even when the stages of his journey - from minor seminary to the episcopate - have taken him far beyond familiar boundaries.
The personal narrative is interwoven with the responsibility that now lies ahead. On 18 December 2025, Pope Leo XIV accepted the resignation of Cardinal Timothy Dolan and appointed Msgr Hicks, a native of Illinois and former Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Chicago, as his successor. The official assumption of office, with the taking possession of St Patrick’s Cathedral, is scheduled for Friday, 6 February. In his answers, however, the chronology of the transition remains in the background. What comes to the fore is the image of a bishop who wants to “pray with the people”, to learn to experience New York as “home”, and to accompany a presbyterate he regards as the front line of the mission.
On prayer and spirituality
“I take my prayer life very seriously. I spend quite a bit of time in prayer. I make sure that I do a holy hour every morning, and the Eucharist is central in my life. What’s been stirring mostly in my heart is this: my desire in prayer has been to unite my heart with the heart of Jesus, to do the will of the Father. I want to trust. I want to surrender. I want to do God’s will. I’ve done whatever the Lord and the Church have asked. So if I’ve been asked to be an auxiliary bishop or the bishop of a diocese called Joliet, or now an archbishop in New York, I just want to do so faithfully.”
On his mission as archbishop
“I want to follow Jesus. I love the Church. I love the priesthood. I love people. As bishops, we’re called to govern, to teach, and to sanctify. But I look most forward to having the opportunity to pray with and get to know the people of the Archdiocese of New York. There’s something about the people in the Archdiocese of New York. The amount of welcome, the amount of sincerity, the love that people have for the archdiocese, for their faith—it comes across. It’s sincere. And I look forward to being part of it.”
On his legacy
“I hope they’ll say that I was sincere, authentic, faithful, and that with a shepherd’s heart, the heart of Jesus, I prayed with people. I prayed for people. And I led more people to Jesus through the Church and through the sacraments, all for the salvation of souls. I don’t need to accomplish great, marvelous things in my name. All I want to do is do whatever the will of God is. And part of doing what is God’s will is introducing them to his son, to Jesus.”
On the Archdiocese of New York
“I’m learning a lot. I think what I’m learning most is: size, magnitude—everything is bigger. I’m used to Church work and how the Church operates, but my goodness, New York works on a much larger scale. And I think just about everyone in the world is represented in the Archdiocese of New York. Everyone’s here. To be a citizen of the world in the Archdiocese of New York, I think it’s a strength.”
On Saint Patrick’s Cathedral
“I’ve been a tourist only in New York in my life. Every time I’ve visited, Saint Patrick’s Cathedral has called me. I have either gone there to pray or to see its beauty, and I’ve always tried to make sure I go to Mass there. So I know what that feels like to be an outsider and to see Saint Patrick’s as America’s parish. It’s the heart of the church. Now that I’m going to be the archbishop, I really look forward to praying with people and getting to know the people who already call it home, and people who will constantly be visiting. We all share something together. That’s our faith.”
On diversity and calling New York home
“My entire life, I’ve been called to go beyond my own borders. I’ve been able to see so many different parts of the world—different cultures, languages, food, and customs. I find it fascinating and exhilarating. And that’s all represented in the Archdiocese of New York. I studied in Rome, volunteered in Mexico, and lived in El Salvador and Central America for five years. I’ve been sent all over. But here’s the difference: every other place was temporary. I really like the fact that I’m being called now to have New York as my home. I hope people invite me into their home.”
On immigration
“Our country was founded as a country of immigrants. I’ve got immigrant roots—Irish, German, and Polish ancestors who called this home generations ago. I’ve lived in El Salvador, where I know the challenges of why people seek a new life. On a very personal level, I understand the immigrant experience. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ statement on immigration is pastoral and smart. It doesn’t say we should open our borders without laws. We need due process and border control. At the same time, our policies must act in a respectful and human way that supports human dignity.”
On priests and clergy
“I just had a farewell in the Diocese of Joliet, and I made it a point to thank my priests. To have worked with them, to be their shepherd and on mission with them, has been such a great joy. What my priests and deacons need to understand about me is: I love being a priest. I entered the seminary when I was 14 years old and was ordained at age 26. Even in the tough times, I daily continue to thank God for the priesthood. Priests are on the front line. If our mission and ministries are going to be alive, we have to work together. I look forward to supporting them, encouraging them, and sometimes challenging them. But most importantly, I want to love them as a spiritual father, as their shepherd.”
On young people
“I don’t always like it when people talk about our young people as the future of our Church. They’re also the present. What they give currently and their membership in the Church, part of the body of Christ, is vital. I want them to be catechized, well-informed, and have an evangelized heart. But I also want our young people to know why they’re doing all that. It’s because of Jesus. It’s having an encounter with Jesus. If they know him, if they love him, and they serve him well, then that’s going to be lifelong, and they’re going to pass their faith on to the next generations. I want to be an archbishop who says, all of us together, our faith is important. We’re going to live it. We’re going to share it, and we are going to continue to pass it on to the next generations.”