PITTSBURGH — Preparations for a day shrouded in tradition are underway at St. Paul Cathedral in Oakland.
On Monday, the pews will be packed with religious dignitaries from all over the country and the faithful as the Diocese of Pittsburgh installs a new bishop.
Bishop-designate Mark Eckman was one of Pope Leo’s first appointments. He has some big shoes to fill as his predecessor, Bishop David Zubik, steps aside at the age of 75.
Channel 11 sat down with Bishop Eckman to learn more about who he is and the impact he hopes to leave on Pittsburgh.
“I never thought I’d be a Bishop,” Bishop Mark Eckman tells Channel 11. “I thought that was for really smart guys, and I never thought I’d be the ordinary of the diocese. That really hasn’t sunk in yet.”
Bishop Eckman comes from humble beginnings. Born and raised in the South Hills, he is the youngest of four.
“I always just wanted to be a parish priest,” Eckman said. “I was content being a pastor.”
That calling came in grade school, where Eckman said he learned to pray and looked to the Lord when contemplating his purpose. In high school, he was in the pre-seminary program, and like a lot of teens, he worked at Giant Eagle.
“Initially, I was a bag boy and picked up the grocery carts all across the lot, and then I became a cashier.”
When he got the call that Pope Leo appointed him as Bishop of the Pittsburgh Diocese, Eckman says the first emotion was relief.
“Because I didn’t have to pack up and move,” he laughed.
Bishop Eckman said he also felt humility because he had been chosen to lead the diocese of 625,000 people across six counties.
First on his agenda are regional meetings with priests to listen to their ideas and concerns. Then, he plans to meet with the parishes to ensure they’re serving the faithful.
“People who might be hungry if we’re feeding them, if we are clothing the naked, if we’re educating not only the children, but also anybody in the parishes, how we support people in moments of grief,” Eckman said.
Eckman says he must also work to rebuild trust in the wake of the child sex abuse scandal. During that time, he was the vicar for clergy and was tasked with meeting with victims and perpetrators. He says he understands those who lost confidence.
“I don’t blame them,” Bishop Eckman said. “That scandal was something that really devastated the church, not just in the United States but worldwide. Through Bishop Zubik’s work and the diocese as a whole, we’ve been trying to make sure that that doesn’t happen again. We have a very strong program with certification for protecting God’s children.”
>>> Bishop Zubik looks back on local roots, tenure with Pittsburgh Diocese ahead of retirement <<<
We asked Eckman what life looks like when he’s not behind the pulpit. He gets Mondays off to rest and loves reading or being in the Laurel Mountains.
“My friends that are up there, so just to walk on the walking trails or the Youghiogheny River,” he said. “They have a boat, so sometimes you can go out in the water. In the wintertime, I’m a downhill skier.”
Eventually, Eckman will move from the South Hills to the Cathedral, his new, more central residence. Now, he says, it just needs to all sink in.
“I didn’t realize how much of a celebrity you become when they announce that you’re going to be bishop,” Eckman said. “I’ll walk to my car, and someone will say, ‘Hey, you’re the new bishop,’ so it’s sort of exciting that way. Before I was a local guy, but nobody knew who I was. So, it’s amazing how small of a big town Pittsburgh actually is.”
Retired Bishop Zubik will still play a key role in the diocese, volunteering and doing confirmations for 60 parishes.
Eckman is looking forward to meeting Pope Leo, the first American Pope, and being able to communicate easily with him in English.
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