Vespers mass for Archbishop-designate Ronald Hicks: How to watch
NEW YORK - Archbishop-designate Ronald Hicks is set to lead an evening prayer (Vespers) at St. Patrick’s Cathedral – the night before he's installed as the new Archbishop of New York.
FOX 5 NY will stream live coverage beginning at 5 p.m. To stream from anywhere, you can watch live in the media player above or download our app, FOX LOCAL, to watch on your smart TV or phone. Click here to download our mobile app now. You can also watch raw, un-anchored coverage of the event on our YouTube page.
The service is a prayerful preparation and does not include the formal transfer of authority.
Who is Ronald Hicks?
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According to the Vatican, Hicks, 57, brings a wide mix of pastoral, academic and leadership experience to New York.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 18: New York Archbishop-Designate Donald Hicks speaks at a press conference at St. Patricks Cathedral on December 18, 2025 in New York City. Hicks, known for his pro-migrant stance, spent five years in El Salvador and wa
He was born on August 4, 1967, in Chicago and graduated from Niles College Seminary before earning a philosophy degree from Loyola University Chicago. He went on to study at the University of Saint Mary of the Lake and Mundelein Seminary, where he later returned as a faculty member. He also completed a Doctor of Ministry degree there.
Hicks was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Chicago on May 21, 1994. He spent his early years in parish ministry and later helped shape future priests as dean of formation at Saint Joseph College Seminary.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 18: Cardinal Dolan (R) and New York Archbishop-Designate Donald Hicks attend a press conference at St. Patricks Cathedral on December 18, 2025 in New York City. Hicks, known for his pro-migrant stance, spent five years i
From 2005 to 2009, he moved to Central America to lead Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos, a charity that cares for orphaned and abandoned children across Latin America.
His work there, along with his fluency in Spanish, has become a major part of his pastoral identity and deepened his connection to immigrant communities.
When he returned to Chicago, he resumed seminary leadership and was later appointed vicar general in 2015, the archdiocese’s top administrative role after the archbishop. Pope Francis named him an auxiliary bishop in 2018, and he became bishop of Joliet in 2020.