NEW YORK (RNS) — Archbishop Ronald A. Hicks began his first homily as the leader of about 2.5 million New York Catholics by speaking Spanish, quoting from a hymn almost every Mass-going Latino knows.
“Lord, take my life,” he began in Spanish, imperfectly quoting from “Alma Misionera,” or “Missionary Soul.” He continued, “I’m willing to do whatever you want, no matter what it is, you lead me to serve.”
On Friday (Feb. 6), Cardinal Timothy Dolan formally stepped down after more than 16 years leading the Archdiocese of New York as Hicks became his successor. Hicks most recently served as bishop of Joliet, Illinois, and previously led an orphanage in El Salvador, was a Chicago priest and served as a seminary formation director. At age 58, he presumably will have almost two decades to lead the influential diocese before he is expected to submit his resignation at 75.
At his installation Mass in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Hicks made two things crystal clear: that he seeks to lead a church that will, at its heart, be missionary, and that Latinos will not remain at the peripheries of his ministry.
He did not signal the latter commitment by addressing Latinos directly or their widespread fears of ethnically targeted immigration enforcemen …