Six months ago, who could ever imagine the changes that would occur in our world?  The pandemic has not only changed the way we work and socialize, but also the way we pray.  Virtual masses, parking lot masses, masses with limited attendance, not to mention spiritual communion have had to feed us spiritually.  Now on top of that, a change in administration for Saint John Capistran and Saint Thomas More Parish.  It goes to prove the saying: “The only constant in life is change”.

For those who do not know me, my name is Father Mark Eckman.  I served as Pastor of Saint Thomas More Parish from 2009-2013.  Since my departure from Saint Thomas More, I have served as the Vicar for Clergy Personnel for the Diocese.  After seven very long years, I am excited to return to parish ministry and even more excited to return to the South Hills where I grew up and have served most of my priesthood.

There is a drawback of returning to where you were once assigned:  change is a constant.  Parishioners have moved away or have gone to see the Lord, life experiences have changed the way we perceive things, people are not the same, I am not the same person who left here seven years ago.  Additionally, in accepting this assignment, I now have two parishes with the task of uniting us into one new parish.
During the next few months, I will do my best to introduce myself to you and to learn your names.  I ask you to please introduce yourself and tell me your name EVERY time you see me!  If I call you by name before you say your name, that means it has finally been stored in my memory.  Remember, there are thousands of you for me to remember and only one of me for you to remember!  If I don’t call you by name, it means I don’t remember it.

In the very near future, I will be meeting with the Finance Council and the Pastoral Council of each parish and will meet with the On Mission Team which will encompass members from both parishes.  These Councils are my primary advisors and I will depend upon their input as we make very important decisions for our parishes.

As we begin this new chapter in our parishes, let us ask the Lord for his continued blessings upon all of us that all that we do may give Glory to God!