News of Cardinal Timothy Dolan’s replacement marked one of the most important appointments from Pope Leo XIV so far, but why did Dolan resign from his position and what sparked the change?
The answer is actually rooted in a rule in the Catholic church.
Dolan, one of the most high-profile Catholic leaders in the United States and a prominent voice in the city, had submitted his resignation in February, when he turned 75.
According to Canon 401 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law, “all bishops must submit their resignation to the Pope at the age of 75.” The pope then must decide whether to accept their resignation immediately or ask them to stay on until a successor is named. They can stay on in their role until the age of 80.
Often, the Vatican waits to make important leadership changes in dioceses if there is lingering abuse litigation or other governance matters that need to be resolved by the outgoing bishop.
Dolan last week finalized a plan to establish a $300 million fund to compensate victims of sexual abuse who had sued the archdiocese.
Dolan was named archbishop of New York by Pope Benedict XVI in February 2009 after serving as archbishop of Milwaukee. He was made cardinal in 2012 and headed the U.S. bishops conference from 2010-2013.
While he is retiring from his post, Dolan will still hold the title of Cardinal for the rest of his life.
“However, only cardinals under the age of 80 can sit in the Conclave that elects a new pope,” the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops reported.
On Thursday, Bishop Ronald Hicks, the current bishop of Joliet, Illinois, was tapped to replace Dolan, leading one of the biggest U.S. archdioceses as it navigates relations with the Trump administration and its immigration crackdown.
It marks a change from Dolan, who is widely viewed as conservative and has ties to the current Republican administration.
Dolan was Trump’s pick to succeed Pope Francis, though Dolan did criticize the president for sharing an AI-generated image of Trump, who is not a Catholic, dressed up as a pope before the May conclave that ultimately elected Leo.
The handover, though, represents a significant new chapter for the U.S. Catholic Church, which is forging a new era with the Chicago-born Leo as the first American pope. Leo and the U.S. hierarchy have already shown willingness to challenge the Trump administration on immigration and other issues, and Hicks is seen as very much a Leo-style bishop.
Hicks will be installed Friday, Feb. 6, 2026 at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, a press release from the Diocese of Joliet said, and will continue serving in Joliet until his installation.
“I have been deeply blessed to serve the people of the Diocese of Joliet,” Hicks said in the release. “I will carry the faith, generosity, and the spirit of this diocese with me as I begin this new chapter of ministry.”
In a statement, Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago, called Hicks a “holy man with a heart for Jesus and the People of God.”
“He will embrace the diversity of his new archdiocese and be an adept administrator,” the statement went on to say.
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