Around the archdiocese, the clergy and the laity have been keeping in mind the importance of continuity in their ministries so that the Church’s mission in New York remains strong and focused amid the Cardinal Dolan/Archbishop-designate Hicks leadership transition.

This includes churches, schools, and archdiocesan organizations and committees.

“At St. Clare Parish, continuity in ministry has always come from the same place: our shared commitment to proclaiming the Gospel and serving the people entrusted to our care,” Father Arthur Mastrolia, pastor of St. Clare Church on Staten Island, told The Good Newsroom.

Daily rhythm of parish life

“Leadership transitions in the wider Church are moments of gratitude and hope, but they do not interrupt the daily rhythm of parish life. Our staff and volunteers continue the work that has long defined our community, celebrating the sacraments with reverence, accompanying families in their joys and sorrows, forming our young people in faith, and caring for the vulnerable in our neighborhood,” Father Mastrolia noted in his email response.

The pastor also asserted, “We are deeply grateful for Cardinal Dolan’s pastoral leadership and the spirit of joy he brought to the archdiocese, and we welcome Archbishop-designate Hicks with the same fidelity and openness that have guided us through every chapter of the Church’s life. What grounds us is not a change in administration but the enduring mission Christ gives His Church. Our task is to remain steady, prayerful, and generous in service, so that whoever leads us at the archdiocesan level finds a parish already committed to unity, collaboration, and the work of evangelization. In that sense, the transition becomes not a disruption but a reminder: the Church’s mission continues, and so do we, faithfully, gratefully, and together.”

Reaching those who need Jesus

Father Osvaldo Hernandez is pastor of Our Lady of Mercy Church in the Bronx.

“It is the same mission that we have in the Church – preaching about Christ, bringing Christ to others,” Father Hernandez told The Good Newsroom in a January 13 phone interview. “It’s about being a Church that is always going outside, reaching those who need Jesus. And those who don’t believe in Jesus; we have to be there for them too, for everyone.”

Father Hernandez added, “They’re sad, everybody’s sad (Our Lady of Mercy parishioners); they’re going to miss him (Cardinal Dolan)…And it’s sad for me, the cardinal ordained me almost eight years ago. He’s like a father figure.” The pastor also noted, “Transitions (bring) mixed feelings.” He said many of his Hispanic parishioners have told him that Archbishop-designate Hicks obviously “has a Latino heart,” given his fluency in Spanish and his extensive mission work in Latin America.

Bittersweet emotions

In mid-December, Pope Leo XIV appointed Bishop Ronald A. Hicks of Joliet, Illinois, as the new Archbishop of New York. The announcement brought both celebration and bittersweet emotions as the archdiocese prepared to bid farewell to Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who served as archbishop for nearly 17 years.

Archbishop-designate Hicks made his first public appearance at St. Patrick’s Cathedral on December 18, concelebrating Mass with Cardinal Dolan and archdiocesan staff. His installation is scheduled for Friday, February 6.