Pope Leo replaced Cardinal Timothy Dolan as leader of the Catholic Church in New York, the Vatican announced on Thursday, sidelining a prominent U.S. Church figure in a major shake-up of the country's Catholic leadership.

Pope Leo has appointed a new archbishop of New York who has first-hand experience of countries from where millions have emigrated to the United States, signaling the potential for a more outspoken approach from bishops on immigration.

New York’s next archbishop is being heralded a “unifier” who will stick firmly to papal doctrine — just don’t expect to see him on talk shows any time soon. Pope Leo XIV appointed Ronald Hicks Jr., the current bishop of Joliet,

Pope Leo XIV has appointed the Rev. Manuel de Jesús Rodríguez, a native of the Dominican Republic, to succeed Bishop Gerald Barbarito.