Bishop Mark Eckman installed as 13th bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh
Bishop Mark Eckman has officially been installed as the 13th bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh following the retirement of longtime former Bishop David Zubik.
Bishop Eckman will have the authority and responsibility to govern and care for the Catholic Church in the six counties of the Diocese of Pittsburgh: Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Greene, Lawrence and Washington, according to a news release from the diocese.
Solemn vespers took place in Saint Paul Cathedral on Sunday afternoon ahead of Monday's Installation Mass. The Installation Mass was held at 2:30 p.m.
The Most Reverend Nelson J. Perez, metropolitan Archbishop of Philadelphia, presided over the service.
"Thank you for saying yes. If you don't already know it, I can assure you are receiving a flock that will work with you," former Bishop Zubik said.
During the Mass, Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the apostolic nuncio who represents Pope Leo XIV in the United States, presented Bishop Eckman with the official decree, also known as the papal "bull" from Pope Leo XIV, declaring his appointment to Pittsburgh.
"You are called by the Holy Spirit to serve almighty God and the people of the Diocese of Pittsburgh in faith and in love as their shepherd," Cardinal Pierre said.
Over the past few decades, numbers and parishes have decreased.
Bishop Eckman called for people to join the church to continue guiding the faithful as priests get older.
"So, we pray that the Holy Spirit will have our minds and hearts open to saying yes to building his kingdom on Earth," Bishop Eckman said.
On this day of reverence and faith, there were times to show the human side of the new bishop. He added some laughs to the installation celebration.
"All I ever wanted to do was be a parish priest. Obviously, the Lord has other plans and a wicked sense of humor," Bishop Eckman joked.
A reception was held after the mass at Oakland Catholic High School.
Who is Bishop Mark Eckman?
A South Hills native, Bishop Eckman is a longtime Pittsburgh pastor who has also served in several diocesan-level roles. He was ordained an auxiliary bishop in 2022 and assisted Bishop Zubik with pastoral care of the diocese.
Pope Leo XIV appointed Bishop Eckman to succeed Bishop Zubik on June 4 due to Zubik reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75.
"With a grateful and humble heart, I accept this appointment and ask for the prayers of all the faithful," Bishop Eckman said at the time of his appointment. "Together, we will continue the mission of Jesus Christ with hope."
