Overview
- Hicks led a prayerful Vespers service at St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Thursday, offering a bilingual message and reserving formal transfer of authority for Friday’s Mass.
- The installation begins Friday at 2 p.m. at St. Patrick’s, where the apostolic nuncio will read the pope’s appointment letter before Hicks takes the cathedra, marking the start of his ministry.
- At a news conference, Hicks emphasized reengaging lapsed Catholics, forming missionary disciples, and upholding human dignity in outreach to immigrants, with Spanish included in the liturgy.
- Ceremonial traditions will include Cardinal Timothy Dolan welcoming Hicks at the cathedral door, public display of the papal letter, and seating at the archbishop’s chair that signals jurisdiction.
- Transferred from the Diocese of Joliet and fluent in Spanish after years of mission work in Central America, Hicks now steps into leadership of an archdiocese serving about 2.5 million Catholics with broad civic and interfaith participation expected at the Mass.