October 16, 2015

Hometown birthday celebration at St. Nicholas School

Father Eckstein is pictured with the eighth-grade class at St. Nicholas School and Debbie Gregg, who teaches seventh- and eighth-grade English and language arts, and eighth-grade social studies and religion. (Submitted photo)

Father Eckstein is pictured with the eighth-grade class at St. Nicholas School and Debbie Gregg, who teaches seventh- and eighth-grade English and language arts, and eighth-grade social studies and religion. (Submitted photo)

Retired Father Frank Eckstein celebrated his 85th birthday on Sept. 25.

On Sept. 24, Father Eckstein celebrated a morning Mass with the students and faculty at St. Nicholas School in Ripley County, and after the liturgy, a class representative from each grade asked the priest about his childhood at St. Nicholas School and Parish. It was here, he said, that his vocation to the priesthood was realized.

Father Eckstein has consistently celebrated Mass on Tuesdays and Thursdays at St. Nicholas for the last five years. Father Eckstein resides at St. Charles Borromeo Parish in Milan and serves as sacramental minister there.

 

(Following is the birthday poem the eighth-grade class at St. Nicholas School in Ripley County wrote in honor of Father Frank Eckstein.)

Father Frank Poem

Father Frank, we love you dearly;
you speak God’s word so clearly.

You’re a kind and humble man;
your life fulfills God’s plan.

Even though you are retired,
you’re a priest who is admired.

Thank you for answering God’s call with your “yes,”
and for absolving the sins we confess.

We wish you a special birthday blessing;
our thanks and love to you we’re expressing!

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