Pope Leo XIV Replaces Cardinal Dolan, Who Praised Charlie Kirk as a Saint

Claim:

As of September 2025, Pope Leo XIV is appointing a pro-immigrant, anti-gun bishop to replace New York’s Cardinal Timothy Dolan — who likened conservative activist Charlie Kirk to St. Paul the Apostle.

Rating:

Mixture (About this rating?)

Context:

Dolan referred to Kirk as a “modern-day St. Paul” following his assassination. Additionally, Leo is selecting someone to take over the New York cardinal position — but this decision is not related to his remarks about Kirk. Dolan submitted his required resignation upon turning 75 in February 2025, as all bishops are required to do under Catholic law regarding age limits for leadership roles. The identity of Dolan’s replacement has not been revealed, and Leo has not publicly shared his potential choice. Some Catholic analysts have proposed that Bishop Daniel Flores from Texas, who holds pro-immigrant and anti-gun violence positions, might be a leading contender.

In late September 2025, an online rumor emerged suggesting that Pope Leo XIV intended to replace New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan — who had reportedly likened conservative activist Charlie Kirk to the Christian apostle St. Paul — with a “pro-immigrant, anti-gun” bishop named Daniel Flores.

A widely shared post from the Facebook page Occupy Democratsframedthe claimed scenario in partisan language, contrasting Dolan’s purported “far-right” perspectives with Flores’ alleged stances on gun violence and immigration policies in Texas, where Flores residesarchived).

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1292336552997916&set=a.201905705374345

Supporters of the Democratic Party also shared the poston X and Instagram. Several social mediaUsers on Facebook shared comparable rumors. At the same time, members of the Muara Digital Team asked the newsroom whether Leo “criticized” Dolan or intended to “fire” and replace him due to his alleged remarks about Kirk; at least one reader provided a text snippet from the Occupy Democrats’ post for confirmation.

These speculations require background. Dolan didcallKirk as a “modern-day St. Paul”during a Sept. 19 appearanceon Fox and Friends (see 0:58). Additionally, it was accurate that he was stepping down from his role as the New York archbishop. Leo is in the process of selecting his replacement, as of this moment.

But the suggestion that Leo is taking Dolan’s place due to his remarks about Kirk is incorrect. Dolan submitted his resignation — as isrequiredarchbishops at the age of 75 according to Catholic canon law — just months before his remarks regarding Kirk. Additionally, Leo has not disclosed his leading contenders to replace Dolan publicly; it remains unclear if Flores is among them. Therefore, we have classified this statement as a combination of true, false, and uncertain information.

The Vatican did not provide additional details regarding who might succeed Dolan.

The source and background of the rumor

The Occupy Democrats post referenced a September 21storypublished in “Letters from Leo,” aSubstack publication by Christopher Hale, who had previously managed Catholic outreach for former President Barack Obama’s 2012 campaign (archived).

“The leading contender to succeed Dolan is Bishop Daniel Flores from Brownsville, Texas, whose prominence has increased in recent years, particularly due to his efforts on the border and tackling gun violence,” noted Hale, who previouslypenned columns for Time Magazine on Catholicism and politics. 

Hale’s narrative centered mainly onCatholics’ critisisimRegarding Dolan’s remarks about Kirk, who was assassinated on September 10, not on Dolan’s potential successor. Additionally, both Occupy Democrats and Hale correctly pointed out that Dolan submitted hismandatoryresignation in February due to his had turned 75 years old (see 4:43) At that time, Pope Francis was the leader of the Roman Catholic Church. (FrancisdiedIn April, the cardinals in Vatican City selected Leo as his successor.in May.) 

Dolan will continue as the archbishop of New YorkuntilLeo names a successor. On February 4episodeof Dolan’s SiriusXM show “Conversation with Cardinal Dolan,” he mentioned that it typically takes around six to eight months for archbishops to step down from their role after submitting their resignation (see 5:53). 

“It is uncommon for a pope to dismiss a bishop. There is no situation in which a pope would remove a bishop due to an inappropriate remark,” Hale said during a phone call with the Muara Digital Team. “In contrast to common perception, bishops have significant authority over their positions.”

To the best of Hale’s knowledge, as of this point in time, Leo has not made any public statement regarding Dolan’s comments about Kirk. A search for any potential remarks by Leo concerning Dolan’s statements using the Vatican’sofficial news site (archived) and Google returned no results. Leo saidon September 13, he stated that he was praying for Kirk’s family and expressed worries regarding political violence.

Leo has not openly stated who he might select as Dolan’s successor. Some Catholic commentators have proposed that Flores from Texas could be a leading possibility.

Flores has generated publicityin the past few years, has been a supporter of immigrants trying to cross the Mexico-U.S. border and hasreportedlyoften stated that the United States can be a “nation of laws and yet remain a nation of compassion.” Flores also gained attention in 2022, following a school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, for apost on X,formerly Twitter, which stated, “Don’t inform me that firearms aren’t the issue.”

Hale expressed his confidence, citing discussions with officials in Rome, the District of Columbia, and Chicago, stating that Flores is “among the leading contenders” to succeed Dolan. (Hale refused to reveal the identities of his sources.) Hale also mentioned that there has been “no significant opposition from conservative groups toward Daniel Flores.”

“He is viewed as a candidate who would please everyone,” Hale mentioned during the phone call.

JD Flynn, the former head of Catholic News Agency and a canon lawyer, alsonamedFlores is among several potential contenders to succeed Dolan in The Pillar, a Catholic-oriented magazine co-founded by Flynn.

Social media posts that drew comparisons between Dolan and Flores suggested that their political opinions are in conflict.

However, their positions on immigration could share some similarities. After Vice President JD Vance, who is also a Catholic,suggestedIn January, during a CBS News “Face the Nation” interview, U.S. Catholic bishops were accused of assisting migrants for financial reasons, and Dolan described his statements as “very harsh” and “not accurate.”see 10:31). Dolan also publishedAn opinion piece published in the New York Daily News in July that suggested immigration could serve as a unifying political topic. The article advocated for stronger border protection and encouraged the United States to accept immigrants and refugees.

“Those who read the Bible support the immigrant, and this country that dares to say ‘In God we trust’ should come together to fight for their justice,” Dolan wrote.

Additionally, when a shooter killed two children at a Minneapolis Catholic school in August, Dolancondemnedbrain-numbing gun violence that has become increasingly prevalent.

It is also worth mentioning that the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops — the officialorganizationrepresenting the American bishops — has done so for yearssupportedan increase in legal immigration andvariousgun control policies, such as a complete prohibition on military-style firearms and mandatory background screenings for all buyers.

The bottom line

Leo is taking over from Dolan, but not because of his remarks regarding Kirk. Dolan submitted his required resignation to the pope several months prior to Leo’s appointment, and Kirk was murdered. Francis passed away before selecting Dolan’s replacement, leaving that decision to Leo.

Additionally, it remains unclear who Leo will select to replace Dolan, as of this moment. Although some Catholic commentators suggest Flores is a leading contender, this assertion lacks evidence.

Sources: