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Vatican insiders believe that Robert Joseph Lombardo C.F.R., auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Chicago, is being strongly considered to become either the next Archbishop of New York or the next Archbishop of Chicago.
According to Vaticanista Robert Mickens, a prominent Vatican observer known for his progressive commentary, Bishop Lombardo “is in line” to be the next Archbishop of New York.
The post in New York has become open in all but name: the mandatory retirement letter of the current archbishop, Cardinal Dolan, was submitted to the Holy See in February.
Bishop Lombardo, aged 68, has served as auxiliary in Chicago since 2020, but his prior experience in New York City and his reputation as a bridge-builder between Church, mission and urban poor make his possible move to New York plausible.
What complicates matters, however, is that he is also rumoured to be on the shortlist to succeed Cardinal Blase Cupich in Chicago, who himself has reached retirement age. Vatican watchers describe Lombardo as the most “Leo candidate” for Chicago, and suggest Rome may choose that path as it is a less high-profile transition than to New York.
Sources say that Lombardo’s missionary résumé stands out. He is a former Capuchin friar, co-founder of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal in New York, and has extensive outreach experience with homeless and marginalised communities in both New York and Chicago.
The Archdiocese of New York has for decades been a key strategic posting in the US Church, with the post often reflecting Rome’s attitude to America’s cultural and social challenges, many theologians have noted.
They have also opined that a choice like Lombardo would highlight Rome's emphasis on frontline service ministry rather than on boardroom oversight. Historically, previous occupants of the New York post included figures whose backgrounds were academic, administrative or who had strong establishment links, such as Cardinal Spellman; Lombardo’s appointment would mark a subtle but meaningful pivot.
Commentators have noted that should the Vatican decide to appoint him to New York, it would mark a clear signal of the Holy See’s shifting priorities: focusing more on urban mission, social-outreach and cultural fluency in inner-city settings rather than on purely curial or canonical credentials.
Auxiliary Bishop Robert Joseph Lombardo was born on 4 September 1957 in Stamford, Connecticut. He graduated in 1979 with a Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting from the University of Notre Dame, then worked briefly as an accountant before entering the Capuchin Order in 1980.
After taking vows, he served in Bolivia and Honduras with street children, and later in New York as director of the Padre Pio Shelter for the Homeless in the Bronx and he co-founded the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal in 1987.
He was ordained a priest on 12 May 1990 by Cardinal John O’Connor, and in 2004 moved to Chicago to establish mission outreach at the invitation of Cardinal Francis George. Pope Francis appointed him auxiliary bishop of Chicago and titular bishop of Munatiana on 11 September 2020 and he was consecrated on 13 November 2020.
Confidential consultations in Rome are already understood to be underway, with Vaticanistas now eagerly waiting for the Holy Father to announce the successors to two of the most prominent figures in the US Catholic Church.
Photo: A cardinal gestures as he arrives for a congregation meeting at the Vatican with a view of the St Peter's Basilica in the background, 6 May 2025 (Photo by DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP via Getty Images)
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