The Archbishop of New York is recovering after surgery, he announced in a letter published July 13.

“On July 1, I returned to the Archdiocese of New York from a beautiful and powerful pallium pilgrimage in Rome,” said Archbishop Ronald Hicks in the letter. Archbishop Hicks was installed as the 11th Archbishop of New York in February.

After returning to the city, Archbishop Hicks wrote that he was diagnosed with a detached retina in his left eye, which required surgery to repair.

“I am grateful to share that the initial surgery was successful, and I am now in a period of recovery over the next several weeks,” he said.

During his recovery, Archbishop Hicks asked for prayers instead of cards, messages and calls, as “I may not be able to respond personally”.

“Your prayers mean the world to me, and please know that I am praying for each of you as well,” said Archbishop Hicks, adding that he would do his best to keep the archdiocese updated.

“May our Lord, who brings light to the darkness and grants us the sight to walk in His ways, guide us all in faith and healing,” he said.

Depending on the severity of the injury and the type of surgery, the initial recovery time following surgery for a detached retina is typically three to eight weeks, according to the health website Healthline. 

Full recovery of vision can take up to a year.

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