Overview
- Hicks formally took leadership after Cardinal Christophe Pierre read the papal letter, following the traditional three knocks on the cathedral doors and his seating in the cathedra to succeed Cardinal Timothy Dolan.
- In his first homily, he called for a missionary church that serves all people, emphasized care for the vulnerable and respect for life, and addressed the congregation in both English and Spanish.
- The installation drew thousands inside St. Patrick’s and large crowds outside, with a high‑profile delegation that included multiple cardinals and roughly 180 bishops.
- Hicks, 58, previously served as bishop of Joliet and as an auxiliary in Chicago, speaks fluent Spanish, and spent five years ministering in El Salvador.
- He now leads one of the nation’s largest archdioceses, serving roughly 2–2.5 million Catholics across New York City and nearby counties, setting priorities around evangelization, inclusion, and unity.