Joliet Diocese Names Ronald Hicks New Bishop

JOLIET, IL — Pope Francis on Friday morning announced Bishop Ronald A. Hicks, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Chicago, as the sixth Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Joliet, the Diocese of Joliet announced.

Pope Francis had previously accepted the resignation of Bishop Emeritus R. Daniel Conlon and had named Bishop Richard E. Pates as Apostolic Administrator of the diocese until a new bishop could be appointed. Bishop Hicks, 52, will be installed at the Cathedral of St. Raymond Nonnatus in Joliet on September 29.

"The Diocese of Joliet is most grateful to Pope Francis for the appointment of Bishop Ronald Hicks as its sixth bishop,” said Bishop Pates in a news release. “The bishop owns a reputation for pastoral leadership and is totally committed to the ongoing renewal of the Catholic Church. He is a worthy successor to Bishop Conlon and his predecessors."

According to the Diocese of Joliet, Bishop Hicks is a native of Harvey and he grew up in South Holland where he attended St. Jude the Apostle Parish and Grade School.

Hicks graduated from Quigley Seminary South in 1985. He received his bachelor's in philosophy from Niles College of Loyola University Chicago in 1989 and his Master of Divinity degree in 1994 and his Doctor of Ministry degree in 2003, both from the University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein.

According to his new diocese, Hicks served as an associate pastor at Our Lady of Mercy Parish in Chicago from 1994 to 1996 and then at St. Elizabeth Seton Parish in Orland Hills from 1996 to 1999. From 1999 to 2005, he lived and ministered at St. Joseph College Seminary as the Dean of Formation.

In July 2005, with permission from Cardinal Francis George, Bishop Hicks moved from Chicago to El Salvador to begin his five-year term as Regional Director of Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos in Central America. NPH is a home dedicated to caring for more than 3,400 orphaned and abandoned children in nine Latin American and Caribbean countries.

From 2010 to 2014, Bishop Hicks served as the Dean of Formation at Mundelein Seminary. During that time, he assisted with weekend Masses at St. Jerome Parish in Rogers Park, Chicago.

Bishop Hicks was appointed Vicar General of the Archdiocese by Cardinal Cupich on Jan. 1, 2015. On September 17, 2018 he was ordained an Auxiliary Bishop at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago.