“It is a pleasure to welcome Archbishop Ronald Hicks to New York City,” said the Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston, Senior Pastor of Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church. “I was honored that Archbishop Hicks took the time to visit Fifth Avenue and take part in the godly work we do with St. Thomas Church and St. Patrick’s Cathedral.”

Named archbishop of New York by Pope Leo XIV this past December, the Most Reverend Ronald Hicks was installed at St. Patrick’s Cathedral on February 6, 2026.

With ashes on their brows, Black Johnston and Hicks served lunch on West 55th Street to our hungry and vulnerable neighbors. Hicks and Black Johnston worked alongside volunteers for A Place at the Table, a ministry launched in 2020 that has since grown into a steady ministry of presence, offering not only meals but also connection and care in Midtown.

“I am overjoyed that the Holy Spirit moved Archbishop Hicks to walk up Fifth Avenue to see our shared commitment to love and serve the Lazarus in our midst,” said Christine Boyle, Director of Outreach and Missions.

Every Monday and Wednesday, A Place at the Table offers food and a warm welcome to those in need. This ministry is part of the Fifth Avenue Ecumenical Outreach Partnership, a shared effort among Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and Saint Thomas Church. Since 2017, these three congregations have collaborated to provide coordinated care, pastoral presence, and practical assistance to vulnerable New Yorkers.

“United by our love of God and love of neighbor, Fifth Avenue’s partnership with St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Saint Thomas Church is good news in these polarized days,” Black Johnston said. “We are so grateful that Archbishop Hicks lent a hand with A Place at the Table and we look forward to hosting him again.”

Read more about Archbishop Hicks’s visit at the Good Newsroom.