In a change of direction for the Archdiocese of New York, Pope Leo IV has appointed Bishop Ronald Hicks as the new archbishop, replacing Cardinal Timothy Dolan, in a Catholic Church that appears increasingly critical of U.S. President Donald Trump.

Pope Leo XIV has accepted the resignation of His Eminence Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, 75, from the pastoral governance of the Archdiocese of New York, and has appointed Most Reverend Ronald A. Hicks, currently Bishop of Joliet, as the Metropolitan Archbishop of New York.

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The choice of 58-year-old Ronald Hicks is seen as pivotal, as it marks a departure from the strongly “cultural” and conservative discourse that characterized the leadership of Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who maintained close ties with Donald Trump and was a frequent presence on media outlets such as Fox News. The Archdiocese of New York serves more than 2.5 million Catholics and is the most prominent church headquarters in the United States.

Cardinal Dolan, whose resignation was accepted after he reached the age limit of 75 under Catholic law, had been identified with high-profile interventions in public discourse and had prayed at Donald Trump’s inauguration ceremonies and called for Catholics to be more actively involved in politics.

By contrast, Ronald Hicks, a Hispanic prelate with long missionary experience in Latin America, represents a more low-key, pastoral model of leadership that aligns the Archdiocese of New York more closely with Rome. He has served to date as bishop of the Diocese of Joliet in Illinois and told Vatican News that “my desire is to be a pastor with a shepherd’s heart,” directly referring to the legacy of the late Pope Francis.

It should be noted that both Pope Leo IV and Ronald Hicks grew up in the southern suburbs of Chicago and worked as missionaries in Latin America, the former in Peru and the latter in El Salvador, where he ran a program for orphans and abandoned children.

Cardinal Dolan had provoked strong reactions in the past when, in a television appearance on Fox & Friends, he called conservative activist Charlie Kirk a “hero” after his assassination, even comparing him to the Apostle Paul. The statement was condemned by many Catholics, who pointed out that Kirk had made racist statements against Latinos.

Analysts say Hicks’ selection sets the stage for a more unified church leadership and for continuing the reforms promoted by Pope Francis. Although the new archbishop has systematically avoided political interventions, he has supported the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ “special statement” on immigration policy, with an emphasis on respect for “God-given human dignity.”