NEW ARCHBISHOP HAS “GREAT HEART”
At a press convention in New York a couple of hours after the Vatican’s announcement, Hicks, 58, gave some remarks in Spanish earlier than talking in English. He mentioned he has a “nice coronary heart” for the Latino group as a former missionary in Latin America.
Hicks additionally repeated an earlier endorsement of the US Catholic bishops condemnation of President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.
He mentioned the US ought to defend its borders however “even be a rustic that upholds human dignity, respect, (and) treating one another effectively”.
Hicks, chief of the Church in Joliet, Illinois, since 2020, has a number of similarities to Pope Leo. They’re each initially from south Chicago suburbs however spent years as missionaries – Leo in Peru whereas Hicks in El Salvador.
“(Leo) is elevating to essentially the most outstanding American see an Illinois native very very similar to himself,” mentioned Gibson, director of Fordham College’s Centre on Faith and Tradition.
Hicks joked on the press convention that he and Leo even have the identical favorite pizza restaurant.
The Archdiocese of New York is a sprawling and influential establishment, serving Catholics throughout Manhattan, the Bronx and Staten Island and in seven counties to the north throughout 296 parishes and a whole bunch of Catholic faculties and hospitals.
Leo‘s substitute of Dolan comes because the archdiocese is struggling to boost greater than US$300 million for anticipated settlements with survivors of abuse by Catholic clergy.
The archdiocese has entered mediation with some 1,300 alleged survivors, with Dolan asserting on December 8 the archdiocese would lower its working finances by 10 per cent, lay off employees and promote properties because it sought to boost funds for pay outs.
Hicks might be put in in his new position on Feb 6, the New York archdiocese mentioned in a press release. Dolan will stay as momentary chief within the interim.
