[2] He entered the Congregation of the Holy Ghost in 1921 and made his religious profession at Ridgefield, Connecticut on August 15, 1922.

Upon the silver jubilee of his priestly ordination in 1951, he was presented with the Grand Cross Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice by Pope Pius XII.

[3] He received his episcopal consecration on the following May 22 from John Dearden, with Jean Gay [fr] and Thomas McDonnell serving as co-consecrators, at St. Paul's Cathedral.

[3] He was later named the seventh Bishop of Covington in Kentucky by Pope John XXIII on April 4, 1960, and installed at the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption on the following May 17.

[4] Upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75 and after 18 years of service, Ackerman resigned as bishop on November 28, 1978.