Archbishop Ronald Hicks of New York has returned to public ministry as he continues to recover from surgery to repair a detached retina.
Archbishop Hicks was the principal celebrant at the August 6 profession of vows of the Sisters of Life at St Patrick’s Cathedral, his first public Mass since the surgery. This, he said in a statement published the following day, was “one of the highlights” of his recovery.
In a video posted on social media, the archbishop sang the opening verse of the song “I Can See Clearly Now” before joking that he is a “terrible singer”.
He explained that five weeks ago, on July 5, he had last celebrated Mass in public. Following Mass, he returned to his office and then lost all vision in his left eye. Hicks subsequently underwent surgery.
Following surgery, Archbishop Hicks said his vision was at about 70 per cent of what it was previously and that he should continue to improve over the next three weeks.
A statement published by the Archdiocese of New York on August 7 provided additional details about Hicks’s surgery and recovery process.
“I want to thank you for the many prayers that have been offered on my behalf and provide a brief update on my recovery,” said Archbishop Hicks in the August 7 statement.
The surgery was a success, said the archbishop, and he is “deeply grateful for the excellent medical care I have received”.
“Following doctors’ orders, I have been taking things slowly during my recovery. As many of you know, that is not always easy for me. The gas bubble will take approximately eight weeks to dissolve completely, and during that time I am unable to travel by airplane,” he said.
Hicks said he had been celebrating Mass privately since his surgery and that it was a “great joy to be back at the main altar” with the Sisters of Life.
As he recovers, Hicks said he will “gradually and carefully” add more public Masses and other events to his schedule, and that “I look forward to being with you more frequently in the weeks ahead”.
The five-week period between his last two public Masses has been “a gift”, said Hicks.
“It has provided more time than usual to sit quietly before the Lord in prayer. In the stillness, I have been reminded once again how much we all depend on God’s grace each day. During these weeks, I have also been praying for you and your intentions, and will continue to do so,” he said, requesting that people continue to pray for him.
“Your prayers are the greatest gift you can offer me at this time, and I am deeply grateful for each one,” he said.
