The New Archbishop of New York Quoted Billy Joel, Alicia Keys, and Frank Sinatra in His Installation's Homily
At his installation Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Feb. 6, the new Archbishop of New York, Ronald A. Hicks, surprised everyone — he preached his first homily through song lyrics!
But not just any songs, he chose some of New York’s greatest hits.
“I love music. I love all types of music. And I almost always have a song playing in my head,” Archbishop Hicks told the congregation. Then he proved it!
Archbishop Hicks took lines from classic New York hits, mixed them together, and turned them into a musical love letter to his new home—while still reminding everyone that Chicago will always be “my kind of town.”
"There are so many songs about New York. I am going to take a few lines from some of the most famous songs about New York and put them together in a short compilation of my first impressions of living and working in New York. You can try and guess the artist and the title of the songs."
Here’s the “mini‑playlist” he quoted in his homily:
“Some folks like to get away
Take a holiday from the neighborhood
I’m in a New York State of Mind.
Concrete jungle where dreams are made of
There's nothin' you can't do
Now you're in New York.
Si te quieres divertir con encanto y con primor
sólo tienes que vivir un verano en Nueva York
I happen to like New York
I happen to love this town
So, start spreadin' the news
I'm starting today
I want to be a part of it
New York, New York!”
Did you guess them? (We did — see if you can spot them too!)
“New York State of Mind” – Billy Joel
“Empire State of Mind” – Jay‑Z feat. Alicia Keys
“Un Verano en Nueva York” – El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico
“I Happen to Like New York” – Cole Porter
“Theme From New York, New York” – Frank Sinatra
After the musical tribute, Archbishop Hicks quickly centered hearts on what matters most, “Here are a few things you should know about me: I love Jesus. I love the Church. And I love people.”
He reminded the faithful that the Church is not a country club, but a missionary Church called to “go and make disciples.”
What a powerful way to begin his ministry — with joy, creativity, and a heart full of faith.