VATICAN CITY, Dec 18: Pope Leo XIV has appointed Bishop Ronald Hicks of Joliet, Illinois, as the new archbishop of New York, marking his most significant US appointment since becoming the first American pope.
Hicks, 58, replaces Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who is retiring after finalising a $300 million fund to compensate sexual abuse survivors.
A fellow Chicago native and seen as aligned with Leo’s pastoral style, Hicks has a strong background in Latin America and has spoken out in support of immigrants, including criticism of the Trump administration’s immigration raids.
He will lead one of the largest US archdioceses, serving about 2.5 million Catholics, and will oversee the implementation of the abuse settlement fund as one of his first major tasks. (AP)
