Beloved Staten Island priest plucked to be incoming Archbishop Ronald Hicks’ right-hand man

In a move that has sent shockwaves through Staten Island's Catholic community, beloved high school chaplain Fr. John McCarthy has been appointed as the right-hand man to incoming Archbishop Ronald Hicks.

As secretary to the new archbishop, McCarthy will play a pivotal role in supporting Hicks as he transitions into his new position. The appointment was made by Timothy Cardinal Dolan in one of his final acts before retirement, and it's clear that Dolan saw great potential in McCarthy.

Principal Father Michael Reilly described Fr. McCarthy as an "institution" to the school, saying that "we will never be able to make up for all he does for our students." McCarthy's duties at St. Joseph by-the-Sea High School were far-reaching, including teaching four classes, leading confessions, and running the Confirmation program.

The new role is a significant step up for Fr. McCarthy, who has served as chaplain since 2015. He will be expected to provide administrative support to Hicks, as well as serve as a liaison to other clergy and join him on the altar during Mass.

As secretary, McCarthy will also play a crucial advisory role in helping Hicks navigate his new role as leader of the Archdiocese's 2.8 million Roman Catholics. With Hicks set to be officially installed as archbishop on February 4th, it remains to be seen how well this unlikely duo will work together.

I'm intrigued by Archbishop Ronald Hicks' appointment of Fr. John McCarthy as his right-hand man - the dynamics between these two figures are bound to be fascinating to observe, especially given their differing backgrounds and areas of expertise. It's not uncommon for churches to rely on chaplains with strong connections to the community to navigate administrative roles; in this case, it's clear that Fr. McCarthy's commitment to St. Joseph by-the-Sea High School has earned him a level of respect among his peers .

The question remains whether McCarthy's unique role will allow him to leverage his experience supporting students to drive more strategic decisions within the archdiocese...

OMG u gotta love a guy who has been makin it happen for his students & community since 2015!!! Fr. McCarthy sounds like an absolute rockstar! From teachin classes to runnin the Confirmation program, he's got skills for days I'm so hyped for him in this new role - I know he'll bring that same energy & dedication to support Archbishop Hicks This is gonna be interesting to watch how they work together... good vibes all around!

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this is quite a big move for Staten Island's Catholic community . i think it's awesome that they're giving Fr. John McCarthy such a high-profile role... he seems like an amazing guy and has done so much good at St. Joseph by-the-Sea High School . the fact that Timothy Cardinal Dolan saw great potential in him is huge, 'cause dolan's been around for ages and knows what's up . now it'll be interesting to see how Fr. McCarthy and Archbishop Hicks work together... their different roles and personalities might create some interesting dynamics . i'm sure the archdiocese will benefit from having such a dedicated and compassionate person at the helm

I'm surprised that a high school chaplain is being made the secretary to the new Archbishop, I mean it's like promoting someone from the front lines to the back office . But at the same time, if he's good enough for the students in his school, maybe he can do great things as an advisor to the archbishop. It'll be interesting to see how this plays out, especially since it feels like a pretty big jump up in responsibilities. Did they just give him a bunch of administrative tasks and leave him to figure things out on his own?

Just read about Fr John McCarthy getting a big deal at the Catholic church . So he was just doing his thing at St Joseph's High School and now he's gonna help new Archbishop Hicks out . That's cool, I guess. People seem to really like him, even if he is leaving his job to do it . Only time will tell how well they work together tho

Just wondering if Archbishop Ronald Hicks really needs a secretary who was basically the life of the party at that high school. I mean, Fr. McCarthy's duties were pretty lit - teaching classes, leading confessions, and running the Confirmation program? That's some serious admin skills right there! But now he's being expected to be all about support and advice? It'll be interesting to see how this new combo works out. Hopefully they don't have too much of a different vibe

Just read about Fr. John McCarthy being appointed as Archbishop Ronald Hicks' right-hand man ... seems like a big move for him, from just being the high school chaplain at St. Joseph by-the-Sea High School to supporting the new archbishop. I mean, it's not surprising that Timothy Cardinal Dolan chose him though, Fr. McCarthy sounds like he's really made an impact on the students there and Principal Father Michael Reilly's praise for him is well-deserved . But will it be a smooth transition? Only time'll tell...

I'm surprised by this appointment, I mean Fr. McCarthy is super dedicated to his school and the community there, not sure if he's ready for that kind of admin work. I hope he can bring some calm and continuity to the archdiocese with Archbishop Hicks.

I'm not sure why everyone's so surprised about Fr. John McCarthy getting this new role - I mean, he's been doing an amazing job at St. Joseph by-the-Sea High School for years! It makes total sense that the cardinal would want to keep him on board as secretary to the new archbishop, especially since Archbishop Hicks is all about fresh starts . Plus, Fr. McCarthy's got a lot of experience under his belt, so I think he'll be super valuable to Hicks in his new role . And let's not forget that it's not every day you get to see someone with as much heart and dedication as Fr. McCarthy leading the charge !

omg did u no that fr john mcCarthy is like super important now lol he used to just be the chaplain at st joseph by-the-sea high school but now he's basically gonna run the whole archdiocese lol idk if it's a good thing tho like what if he gets too comfy and starts making bad decisions also i heard timothy cardinal dolan chose him cuz he's just so nice to everyone who knows him btw can't wait 2 c how this all plays out

just saw this news and I'm thinking about the importance of finding balance in life . Fr. McCarthy's new role is a big deal, but sometimes when we rise through the ranks, do we lose touch with what truly matters? As someone who's passionate about mindfulness and self-care, I hope he finds a way to stay grounded amidst all the responsibilities . it's great that Archbishop Hicks has chosen him as his right-hand man, though - Fr. McCarthy seems like an amazing asset!

just hope this new combo brings some fresh ideas to the table, been hearing rumors that Archbishop Hicks is more of a yes man so fingers crossed Fr. McCarthy can balance him out and hopefully doesn't have to deal with too much red tape from the Vatican

just read about fr john mccarthy being appointed as archbishop hicks right hand man... sounds like a big change for him he's been doing some amazing stuff at st joe by the sea but i can see why cardinal dolan thought he had potential hope he can bring some stability to the new archdiocese

just saw that Fr John McCarthy is going to be like a tech expert for Archbishop Ronald Hicks lol just imagine him trying to navigate the new archdiocese app anyway i think this appointment could bring some fresh ideas to the catholic church maybe they can even integrate with other faiths or secular organizations to spread love and kindness what if he uses his chaplain skills to mediate conflicts between clergy and laity via video calls with their faces on a screen also can u imagine him trying to get everyone on the same wifi network for archdiocese events

omg, a new archbishop? that's like, so cool but wait, what does it even mean for us common people? like, do we get more holidays or something? i'm also curious about this guy fr. mccarthy, he sounds like a total saint how old is he tho? and whats with the confirmation program, is that like a big deal in catholic school?

OMG, can you believe Fr. John McCarthy just got promoted ! I've known him for ages, and he's always been super chill & down-to-earth, which is why I'm not surprised he caught Cardinal Dolan's eye . As a student at St. Joseph by-the-Sea, I had the chance to see him in action, and let me tell you, the guy is like a superhero - always there for his students, teaching four classes on top of everything else? Mind blown! Now, as secretary to Archbishop Hicks, he's gotta navigate some heavy admin duties . I hope he stays true to himself & keeps being that awesome chaplain we all love . The real question is, how will Hicks take him under his wing? Will they make a power couple or just try to work together ?

LOL at the whole "beloved high school chaplain" thing... sounds like they're trying to make him out to be some kinda superhero anyway, 2.8 million Catholics is a huge number and I'm curious to see how Fr. McCarthy's gonna handle being right-hand man to Archbishop Hicks... guess we'll just have to wait and see if he can keep up with all the drama that comes with the job

So Archbishop Ronald Hicks gets a super important job and Fr John McCarthy is the one who helps him out... seems like a good move since Fr McCarthy has been doing so much for St Joseph by-the-Sea High School already . 4 classes, confession leader, Confirmation program... talk about a workload! I hope he doesn't get too overwhelmed in his new role . It's interesting that Cardinal Dolan chose him, must be someone who knows Fr McCarthy well . The question is, will they make a good team?