St. Martha Parish recently held its annual communion brunch and Hall of Fame ceremony.
The day started with Mass, followed by brunch and the ceremony in the parish hall.
Monsignor Andrew Golias celebrated the Mass and offered a prayer and blessing at the brunch. Rich Konstance emceed the event. Christopher Yengbeh, a graduate of St. Martha and Archbishop Ryan and a student at the Manhattan School of Music, sang the national anthem. State Sen. Joe Picozzi was the guest speaker. The crowd included Hall of Famers from past years.
The honorees were Jim and Peggy Shupe, Diane Carter, Scot and Tracy Brown, Connie DiFillippo and Pat Dougherty.
• Peggy Shupe is an MRI technician at Rothman. She’s been on the school board and its development committee and helped with the parish bingos, auctions, beef and beers and Raise the Roof campaign.
Jim Shupe is vice president of Steamfitters Local 420, co-chairman of the Ward 66-B Democratic Committee and a past board member of the Philadelphia Blazers Hockey Club. He’s a member of the Knights of Columbis Mary Queen of Angels Council and helped design and construct the Heritage Room as part of the parish’s 50th anniversary. He’s been a member of the St. Martha school board and pastoral council.
• Diane Carter is a retired police officer and member of the Sacred Heart League. She’s volunteered at St. Martha events such as Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding, the Raise the Roof fundraiser, the Hall of Fame and the retirements and jubilee celebrations of priests, nuns and deacons.
• Scot and Tracy Brown have two sons, Maison and Sean, who graduated from St. Martha.
Scot is treasurer of the Knights of Columbus Mary Queen of Angels Council, takes part in the parish food drives and feeds people at St. John Hospice.
Tracy has been on the parish council and finance committee, decorates during liturgical seasons and has helped out at Oktoberfest, the carnival, auctions, St. Patrick’s Day parties and the Raise the Roof campaign.
• Connie DiFillippo and her family are founding members of the parish. She was part of the school’s first graduating class in 1968. She was married at St. Martha and daughters Marie-Theres, Anna and Julia graduated from the school. She’s made brownies and been involved with a lot of parish events, such as the carnival, Oktoberfest and Dance-a-Thon. She was a member of the original choir, was secretary of the Home and School Association and has been on parish council. She’s led the Children’s Liturgy of the Word and laundered linens and altar server vestments. She is a lector and a Eucharistic Minister for the homebound and hospitalized.
• Pat Dougherty was a teacher at St. Martha for 30 years and substitute for 10 years after that. She taught the Little Church Sunday School and played at the old Sunday night guitar Mass and at school and sacrament Masses and for the Charismatic Prayer Group. She’s been a Eucharistic Minister, choir member, in the Women’s Club and den mother for Camp Fire Girls and Bluebirds. ••
