Honoring our 2025 Jubilarian Priests and Deacons

Hometown: Aliquippa, PA
Profession of Vows: professed simple monastic vows on July 10, 1976, and solemn vows on July 11, 1979.
Ordination: April 12, 1980, by Bishop Norbert Gaughan at Saint Vincent Archabbey Basilica.
Assignments: He served as acting rector (1987-1988) and then rector of Saint Vincent Seminary (1989-2001). lecturer (1976-1978); assistant professor (1982-1987); associate professor (1987-1993) and professor (1993-2009, 2012-present) of theology; director of counseling (2003-2009) and a consultant for alumni affairs (2003-2009). At Saint Vincent College, Father Thomas assisted in the Office of Institutional Self Study (1976-1978) and was a lecturer in religious studies and philosophy (1976-1978); assistant professor (1982-1987), associate professor (1987-1993) and professor (1993-2009) in the departments of theology, psychology and philosophy.

Other: Father Acklin is known as a teacher, spiritual director, counselor, retreat master and psychoanalyst and is the author of two books, The Unchanging Heart of the Priesthood, published in 2005 by Emmaus Road, and The Passion of the Lamb published 2006 by Servant and reprinted 2025 by Archabbey Publications. He is co-author with Father Boniface Hicks, O.S.B., of Spiritual Direction: A Guide for Sharing the Father’s Love, published in 2017 and Personal Prayer: A Guide for Receiving the Father’s Love, published in 2020, both published by Emmaus Road. He has been a faculty member of the Pittsburgh Psychoanalytic Center, and a member of the American Psychoanalytic Association and the International Psychoanalytic Association. He became president-elect of the Pittsburgh Psychoanalytic Center in 1994. He has been a psychoanalyst in private practice, as well as a therapist and counselor at the Pittsburgh Psychoanalytic Center, Saint Vincent College Counseling Center, and Latrobe Psychotherapy Associates. He also served on the Council of the President of the American Cassinese Congregation from 2001 to 2008. He hosted the program “Insights, Religion from a Psychological Perspective,” on WEDO Radio, McKeesport (1988-2008); “Real to Reel,” WTAE-TV, Pittsburgh, where he was co-host of a magazine-format religious program (1991-1999). He has been a guest and host on “The Inner Life” on Relevant Radio, a national Catholic Radio network (2006-2008) and on EWTN. Besides his books, Father Thomas has published numerous articles and book reviews in The International Review of Psychoanalysis, The Psychoanalytic Quarterly, The Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association, Louvain Studies, The Priest, New Catholic World, Bijdragen Tijdschrift voor filosophie en theologie, Psychoanalyse, and Over De Grens, A Festschrift Honoring Antoine Vergote.