He came from a family of merchants; his parents were József Ecker and Erzsébet Csery. He was ordained a priest on June 15, 1910, by Archbishop Kolos Vaszary of Esztergom. His religious vocation matured during World War I. He entered the Society of Jesus on August 13, 1921, and completed his novitiate in Szeged. He took his religious vows on February 2, 1937.
The Jesuit directory erroneously lists him as belonging to the Diocese of Szombathely. In 1930, he went to the United States as a missionary.
Domestic service locations
From
To
Place
Country
Church / institution
Position
1910
1912
Szentmihályfa
Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, currently Slovakia
assistant pastor
1912
1915
Komárom
Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, currently Hungary
religious educator
1915
—
Budapest
Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, currently Hungary
religious educator
1916
1919
camp chaplain
1919
1921
Budapest
Kingdom of Hungary, currently Hungary
Óbuda
assistant pastor
1921
1922
Szeged
Kingdom of Hungary, currently Hungary
novice in the Jesuit Order
1924
1925
Mezőkövesd
Kingdom of Hungary, currently Hungary
parish priest
1925
1930
Nagykapornak
Kingdom of Hungary, currently Hungary
parish priest
1933
1936
Kalocsa
Kingdom of Hungary, currently Hungary
pastor and leader of the Marian Congregations and the Society of the Sacred Heart
1936
1941
Hódmezővásárhely
Kingdom of Hungary, currently Hungary
parish priest
1936
—
Szeged
Kingdom of Hungary, currently Hungary
probation
Foreign service locations
From
To
Place
Country
Church / institution
Position
1930
1933
New York, NY
USA
pastor
1944
1981
Szatmárnémeti
Romania
Kálvária templom
parish priest
Literary activity
1940 Hódmezővásárhelyi Jézustársasági Szent István Plébánia Időszaki Értesítője
Ecker Jenő SJ: personal record. In: Historical directory of Hungarian, Hungarian-descended, and Hungarian-speaking clergy serving abroad. Available at: https://www.diaszporalelkipasztorok.hu/persons_v2/view.php?id=226 (accessed: 2026-04-05).
