Brother James P. Eckert
June 20, 1944 ~ April 27, 2024
Brother James P. Eckert, C.F.X., 79, died Saturday evening, April 27, 2024 under hospice care in Topsfield. He had been a member of the Congregation of the Brothers of Saint Francis Xavier for nearly sixty-two years.
Born in New York City on June 20, 1944, he was the son of William and Elizabeth (Rafferty) Eckert. A Brooklyn native, Jim began high school at Xaverian High School and then transferred to Ryken High School in Leonardtown, MD to attend the Brothers’ Juniorate program. He graduated from Ryken in 1962 and on July 8th of that year entered the Xaverian Brothers. He received the holy habit the following September, taking the religious name Brother Campion. He would receive his bachelor’s degree in 1968 from Catholic University and later earned a master’s degree from Catherine Spalding University.
Brother Jim’s teaching ministry began in 1968 at St. Xavier High School in Louisville. He taught in Louisville for 14 of the next 15 years, with a one-year hiatus where he returned to his alma mater in Leonardtown. In 1985 he took an assignment at Mt. St. Joseph High School in Baltimore and in 1989 felt a call to minister to the underserved more directly. For the next 15 years Brother Jim did so. He served at Saint Luke’s in Stroudsburg, PA as a Pastoral Associate. He also ministered among the impoverished in Western Maryland, Genoa, WV, and at St. Raymond’s in the Bronx.
From 2004-2009, Brother Jim served as the director of the brothers’ community at Xaverian High School in Brooklyn and from 2014-2020 was a member of the brothers’ communities at Malden Catholic High School and Xavier High School in Middletown, CT. He had been a member of their community in Danvers since 2020.
In addition to his parents, Brother Jim was predeceased by two siblings, William Jr. and Joan.
His Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Wednesday, May 1, 2024 at 4PM in the Saint John’s Preparatory School Chapel, 72 Spring St., Danvers. Burial will follow in Xaverian Brothers Cemetery, Danvers. Relatives and friends are invited. Visitation will be in the chapel prior to Mass from 3:00-3:45PM. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Brother Jim’s name may be made to the Xaverian Brothers Retirement Fund, 4409 Frederick Ave., Baltimore, MD 21229. Arrangements are under the direction of C.R. Lyons & Sons Funeral Directors, 28 Elm St., Danvers. To share a message of sympathy, please visit www.LyonsFuneral.com.
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My deepest condolences to the family. I worked with Br, Jim for over a decade at St. Luke’s Church in Stroudsburg. He was also on our Board of Directors for One Project at a Time (OPAT) which does humanitarian aid in developing countries. We played many a prank together on each other. He will be deeply missed. I always called him on his Birthday June 20 – Scott Fabian
I never met brother James. But in a way, I met him through the many brothers who were my teachers at St. John’s, Prep from 1956 to 1960. Whenever one of the brothers passes, I am reminded of the phenomenal gift of education that I received from these good people When I was at Saint Johns Prep for the four happiest years of my life. Thank you, Brother James, and rest in peace and through you, I think all of the wonderful brothers who were my teachers, all wearing the black habit with the rosaries and the crucifix tucked in the top portion. I remember them all with great gratitude and affection.
Teresa lit a candle in memory of Brother James Eckert
I was in Brother Jim’s freshman religion class @ St. Xavier High School 1973/74. He was most approachable, had a way of being able to relate to us. Bro Jim was thoughtful, insightful, caring and had a great sense of humor. Years later we had the privilege of touching base when Bro Jim was in Stroudsburg, PA and we were in nearby Easton, PA. It was as if time had stood still- we were able to share memories and laughs about times gone by. May Bro Jim rest in peace and be assured of the posive impact he had in the lives of many young people.