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Ronald Hicks: Archbishop-Elect of New York & Catholic Bishop

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American prelate of the Catholic Church (born 1967)

Ronald Aldon Hicks (born August 4, 1967) is an American Catholic prelate who is the archbishop-elect of New York since December 18, 2025. He previously served as an auxiliary bishop for the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Chicago in Illinois from 2018 to 2020 and then as Bishop of Joliet in Illinois since 2020 to 2025.

Born on August 4, 1967, in Harvey, Illinois, Ronald Hicks grew up in South Holland, Illinois. He was attending St. Jude the Apostle School in South Holland when he started considering the priesthood. Hicks later attended Quigley Preparatory Seminary South in Chicago, graduating in 1985. After his graduation, Hicks spent a year volunteering for the organization Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos (Our Little Brothers) at one of their orphanages in Mexico.[1]

After returning to Illinois, Hicks earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy from Loyola University Chicago in 1989 and a Master of Divinity degree in 1994 from the University of Saint Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary in Mundelein, Illinois.[2][3]

Hicks was ordained a priest by Cardinal Joseph Bernardin for the Archdiocese of Chicago at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago on May 21, 1994.[4]

After his ordination in 1994, the archdiocese assigned Hicks as an associate pastor at Our Lady of Mercy Parish in Chicago, Illinois, for two years. He then served at St. Elizabeth Seton Parish in Orland Hills, Illinois, for three years. In 1999, Hicks was appointed as dean of formation at St. Joseph College Seminary in Chicago.[1] Hicks received a Doctor of Ministry degree in 2003 from the University of St. Mary of the Lake.[3]

In 2005, Hicks moved to El Salvador to serve as a director for Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos, a system of orphanages in Latin America.[5] After five years in El Salvador, Hicks returned to Illinois. Cardinal Francis George then appointed Hicks in 2010 as dean of formation at Mundelein Seminary. On January 1, 2015, Archbishop Blase J. Cupich selected Hicks as vicar general for the archdiocese.[1][3]

Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago

[edit]

On July 3, 2018, Pope Francis appointed Hicks as titular bishop of Munatiana and auxiliary bishop of Chicago.[3][6] On September 17, 2018, Hicks was consecrated by Cardinal Cupich at Holy Name Cathedral, with Bishops Francis J. Kane and Bishop George J. Rassas serving as co-consecrators.[7]

On July 17, 2020, Francis named Hicks as the bishop of Joliet.[8][9] He was installed in the Cathedral of St. Raymond Nonnatus in Joliet on September 29, 2020; the congregation was limited to 20% of capacity because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[2]

For the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Hicks is the chairman of the Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations.[10] He is a board member of the Catholic Extension Society and the Mundelein Seminary Advisory Board.[10]

After the election of Pope Leo XIV, Hicks was interviewed by WGN-TV in Chicago, and noted similarities between himself and Leo, saying “I recognize a lot of similarities between him and me. So we grew up literally in the same radius, in the same neighborhood together. We played in the same parks, went swimming in the same pools, liked the same pizza places to go to.”[5]

Hicks is a fan of the Chicago Cubs.[5]

  1. ^ a b c Martin, Michelle (September 6, 2018). “Bishop Ronald Hicks: Service to orphans changed his life”. Chicago Catholic. Retrieved 2021-10-09.
  2. ^ a b Jones, Bill (September 29, 2020). “Diocese of Joliet’s newly installed Bishop Ronald Hicks has history in the Southland”. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d “Pope Francis Appoints Reverends Ronald Hicks, Robert Casey and Mark Bartosic as Auxiliary Bishops of Archdiocese of Chicago; Accepts Resignation of Auxiliary Bishops George Rassas and Francis Kane”. US Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  4. ^ “Bishop Ronald Aldon Hicks [Catholic-Hierarchy]”. www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2024-01-21.
  5. ^ a b c Faiola, Anthony (18 December 2025). “To replace New York’s archbishop, Chicago-born pope looks to home turf”. The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
  6. ^ “Pope Francis Names Three New Auxiliary Bishops for the Archdiocese of Chicago”. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  7. ^ Martin, Michelle (September 17, 2018). “Three new bishops ordained for archdiocese”. Chicago Catholic. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  8. ^ “Pope Francis Names Bishop Ronald A. Hicks as Bishop of Joliet”. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
  9. ^ “Diocese of Joliet Announces Appointment of New Bishop, Most Reverend Ronald A. Hicks”. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
  10. ^ a b “Bishop Hicks”. Diocese of Joliet. Retrieved 2024-01-21.

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American prelate of the Catholic Church (born 1967)

Ronald Aldon Hicks (born August 4, 1967) is an American Catholic prelate who is the archbishop-elect of New York since December 18, 2025. He previously served as an auxiliary bishop for the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Chicago in Illinois from 2018 to 2020 and then as Bishop of Joliet in Illinois since 2020 to 2025.

Born on August 4, 1967, in Harvey, Illinois, Ronald Hicks grew up in South Holland, Illinois. He was attending St. Jude the Apostle School in South Holland when he started considering the priesthood. Hicks later attended Quigley Preparatory Seminary South in Chicago, graduating in 1985. After his graduation, Hicks spent a year volunteering for the organization Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos (Our Little Brothers) at one of their orphanages in Mexico.[1]

After returning to Illinois, Hicks earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy from Loyola University Chicago in 1989 and a Master of Divinity degree in 1994 from the University of Saint Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary in Mundelein, Illinois.[2][3]

Hicks was ordained a priest by Cardinal Joseph Bernardin for the Archdiocese of Chicago at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago on May 21, 1994.[4]

After his ordination in 1994, the archdiocese assigned Hicks as an associate pastor at Our Lady of Mercy Parish in Chicago, Illinois, for two years. He then served at St. Elizabeth Seton Parish in Orland Hills, Illinois, for three years. In 1999, Hicks was appointed as dean of formation at St. Joseph College Seminary in Chicago.[1] Hicks received a Doctor of Ministry degree in 2003 from the University of St. Mary of the Lake.[3]

In 2005, Hicks moved to El Salvador to serve as a director for Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos, a system of orphanages in Latin America.[5] After five years in El Salvador, Hicks returned to Illinois. Cardinal Francis George then appointed Hicks in 2010 as dean of formation at Mundelein Seminary. On January 1, 2015, Archbishop Blase J. Cupich selected Hicks as vicar general for the archdiocese.[1][3]

Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago

[edit]

On July 3, 2018, Pope Francis appointed Hicks as titular bishop of Munatiana and auxiliary bishop of Chicago.[3][6] On September 17, 2018, Hicks was consecrated by Cardinal Cupich at Holy Name Cathedral, with Bishops Francis J. Kane and Bishop George J. Rassas serving as co-consecrators.[7]

On July 17, 2020, Francis named Hicks as the bishop of Joliet.[8][9] He was installed in the Cathedral of St. Raymond Nonnatus in Joliet on September 29, 2020; the congregation was limited to 20% of capacity because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[2]

For the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Hicks is the chairman of the Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations.[10] He is a board member of the Catholic Extension Society and the Mundelein Seminary Advisory Board.[10]

After the election of Pope Leo XIV, Hicks was interviewed by WGN-TV in Chicago, and noted similarities between himself and Leo, saying “I recognize a lot of similarities between him and me. So we grew up literally in the same radius, in the same neighborhood together. We played in the same parks, went swimming in the same pools, liked the same pizza places to go to.”[5]

Hicks is a fan of the Chicago Cubs.[5]

  1. ^ a b c Martin, Michelle (September 6, 2018). “Bishop Ronald Hicks: Service to orphans changed his life”. Chicago Catholic. Retrieved 2021-10-09.
  2. ^ a b Jones, Bill (September 29, 2020). “Diocese of Joliet’s newly installed Bishop Ronald Hicks has history in the Southland”. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d “Pope Francis Appoints Reverends Ronald Hicks, Robert Casey and Mark Bartosic as Auxiliary Bishops of Archdiocese of Chicago; Accepts Resignation of Auxiliary Bishops George Rassas and Francis Kane”. US Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  4. ^ “Bishop Ronald Aldon Hicks [Catholic-Hierarchy]”. www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2024-01-21.
  5. ^ a b c Faiola, Anthony (18 December 2025). “To replace New York’s archbishop, Chicago-born pope looks to home turf”. The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
  6. ^ “Pope Francis Names Three New Auxiliary Bishops for the Archdiocese of Chicago”. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  7. ^ Martin, Michelle (September 17, 2018). “Three new bishops ordained for archdiocese”. Chicago Catholic. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  8. ^ “Pope Francis Names Bishop Ronald A. Hicks as Bishop of Joliet”. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
  9. ^ “Diocese of Joliet Announces Appointment of New Bishop, Most Reverend Ronald A. Hicks”. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
  10. ^ a b “Bishop Hicks”. Diocese of Joliet. Retrieved 2024-01-21.

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