Feel free to contact the Parish Council at parishcouncil@hspalmyra.com
PC Constitution By-laws January 2020
Meeting Minutes
2023
Parish_Council_12-6-23
Parish_Council_10-18- 2023
Parish_Council_9-6-23
Parish Council_ 4-19- 23
Parish_Council_1-11-23
2022
Parish_Council_11-16-22
Parish_Council_9-22-22
Parish_Council_4-27-22
Parish_Council_3-9-22
Parish_Council_1-12-22
2021
Parish_Council_9-8-21
Parish_Council_6-2-21
Parish_Council_4-14-21
Parish_Council_1-20-21
2020
Parish_Council_11-11-20
Parish_Council_9-16-20
Parish Council 3-11-20
Parish Council 1-15-20
2019
Parish Council 9-18-19
Parish Council 5-2-19
Parish Council 2-7-19
2018
Parish Council 5-17-18
Parish Council 4-8-18
2023/24 Parish Council Members
Fr. Anthony Dill, Pastor
Janet Parks, Parish Manager (ex-officio)
Barb DiBrito, Chair: My husband Kyle and I have been members at Holy Spirit for almost 10 years. We are active in the Sunday choir, and we both enjoy volunteering for and participating in fundraisers like the fish fry and the festival. We are Marriage Mentors, and I also volunteer as a Lector. We have two grown kids who are both married and we have one grandchild. I have a background in marketing, communications, and team management and I feel that these experiences help me bring some creative ideas and good problem solving skills to the table for Parish Council. When not working or spending time with family, I enjoy cooking, gardening, traveling, playing cards, pickle ball, and golf.
Mark Totaro, Vice Chair: Mark is the recently retired Executive Director and CEO of Catholic Charities, a position he held for 18 years. Prior to joining Catholic Charities, he had a 22 year career with The Hershey Company, holding a number of Senior Management positions and working extensively in Europe, Asia, South America and Canada. Mark holds a B.S. degree in Logistics from Niagara University, an MBA in Finance and Management from The Keller Graduate School of Management in Chicago, a Ph.D. in Business Administration from La Salle University, and a Management Certificate from the University of Notre Dame in Non-Profit Administration and Faith Based Management.
Mark is married to the former Barbara Smith, a Registered Nurse, and they have two children and seven grandchildren. The Totaros have been members of Holy Spirit for eight years. From a Church perspective, Mark has been a member of the Knights of Columbus for over 50 years, is an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist, and assists in the Fish Fry, Festival, and RCIA. In his spare time, he enjoys time with his grandchildren and their various activities, volunteers on five Non-Profit organizations, volunteers at Hershey Medical Center, or is on the golf course. He also enjoys reading, traveling, and gardening. He is a native of Connecticut, and his home parish is St. Aloysius in New Canaan.
Michelle Emerick, Recording Secretary: I was born and raised in Hershey and converted to Catholicism in 2004. I was a member of St. Joan of Arc but was invited to attend Holy Spirit by a friend at the time. He later became my husband and in 2018, I joined Holy Spirit. Chuck and I were married in Holy Spirit Church. Together we have four adult children, all following their own life paths.
At Holy Spirit, I like to participate in a variety of activities within the church, including fish fry, festival, and Eucharistic Ministry. Outside of Holy Spirit, I work full-time as an RN in Hospice care and spend many hours volunteering in the Hershey community. Chuck and I are avid bike riders and volunteer along with others from Holy Spirit for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
Renee Amelio: I have been a member of Holy Spirit Church for about 15 years, prior to that a member at St Joan. I have volunteered at the summer parish festivals. My husband, Art, and children, Olivia & Blaise, lived in Palmyra for 28 years, with both of our children attending St Joan of Arc school in their grade school years. In June of 2020, Art and I, along with Blaise (an RN @ HMC) moved to Annville while still remaining members at Holy Spirit.
I am from the Jersey Shore/Williamsport area of Pennsylvania, having attended Immaculate Conception Church until I married Art there in 1989 and moved to Middletown and took a job at Palmyra Bologna Company/Seltzers Bologna, in the accounting department. Prior to that I worked at Woolrich, Inc (the clothing manufacturer), in the accounting department, for 5 years. In February of this year, after 31 years with Seltzers, I made the decision to find my way to another adventure, in a less demanding environment. After 31 years of parenting and Seltzers, I am ready to try my hand at new things: being a grandparent and helping others. God has been very good to me, and I would love to give back to the church, now that I have the time to do so.
Kenneth Beaner: Ken has been a member of Holy Spirit Church since 2017 and a member of the finance council from 2018 to 2023. He and his wife, Amanda, were married in Las Vegas in August, 2011, and have two young children, Xavier (10) and Alexander (5). Ken and Amanda are involved in many local activities and can be seen volunteering in the community, as well as helping with various church functions. Outside of church, Ken works for Hendrix Genetics and has been working in management for 3 years. Ken and his family enjoy playing sports, traveling, and going to the beach in the summer.
Alison Brooks: Alison was formally received into the Catholic Church last year and is overjoyed to be a new member at Holy Spirit Parish. She is a homemaker with an academic background in English Lit, and has a day job serving lunch at St. Joan of Arc School. She loves gathering, praying and serving at Holy Spirit, and finds being an Arimathean and a member of the Caring ministry especially meaningful.
Ed Burns: I have been a member of Holy Spirit parish since 2003, am a member of the Knights of Columbus, and serve on the Benevolence Committee. In addition, my wife Robin and I chair the Junior Youth ministry and have volunteered at the Fish Fry and Summer Festival. Robin and I reside in Palmyra and have two daughters, Kiersten and Lindsey.
Pat DiNunzio: Pat has lived in Palmyra and been an active Holy Spirit Parishioner for almost 50 years. He retired from ABF as a tractor trailer driver after 42 years in 2016. Since retirement, Pat has had the privilege of serving on multiple committees within the Parish, including Respect for Life, Benevolence, and Welcoming Committees, as well as the Legion of Mary. Pat is an officer for the Knights of Columbus (#10502) and the Knights Assembly (#973). He is also the Lector Coordinator for weekend Masses. Pat has eagerly volunteered for 30 years at the Fish Fry and orchestrated Bingo at the annual Festival. Daily at Holy Spirit, you can find him and a handful of fellow Knights of Columbus Volunteers, working on projects throughout the church building and grounds. Pat is passionate about following the Corporal Works of Mercy, volunteering, and welcoming new members to the Holy Spirit Parish. In his free time, he enjoys spending time and traveling with his wife, Debbie, their three grown children, and his granddaughters.
Kristen Cary: Kristen and her husband, Brad, have been members of Holy Spirit since 2015 and have lived in Palmyra (S. Londonderry) since 2008. They have four children: Giulianna (12), Gianna (12), Gabrielle (10), and Gavin (7). Kristen has been a pediatric nurse at the Penn State Children’s Hospital for 16 years. She enjoys volunteering at the fish fry and attending 2nd Quarter meetings.
Carla Christy Gallo: Carla lives in Palmyra with her husband Rob and her two children, Robby (12) and Grace (10). She is a trained surgical oncologist and worked as a breast cancer surgeon before “retiring” to be an at-home mom. She has been a member of Holy Spirit for thirteen years and taught 6th grade PREP with Rob. Carla enjoys volunteering at her children’s school, cooking, and playing the piano.
Lisa Haus: I am a wife and mother of four wonderful young men and three beautiful grandchildren. I moved to Palmyra in 2009 at which time I became a member of Holy Spirit Parish. Before moving here, I taught 4th grade catechesis and was a Eucharist Minister at the Newman Catholic Student Center Parish in North Carolina for 7 years. From 2009 to 2012, I was the elementary youth group leader at Holy Spirit Parish and from 2012 to 2015, I was a substitute catechesis teacher for Holy Spirit’s religious education program. I am currently a Eucharistic Minister, part of Holy Spirit’s Caring Ministry that brings communion to the homebound, and ministry lead for our parish Welcoming Ministry and Grief Support Ministry.
I am employed as a Job Trainer with the Lebanon/Lancaster IU13, supporting the Palmyra Area School District. My job involves working with life skills, emotional and learning support students to help them transition from school to post-secondary education or to employment. Working with this population of students allows me to help students in need and to use the skills I learned while obtaining my master’s degree in social work.
Maria Macus: Maria has been a member of Holy Spirit Parish for several years. She is a lector, volunteers for the Children’s Liturgy of the Word, and participates in the parish’s Second Quarter Group. Maria was recently appointed Deputy Secretary for Unemployment Compensation (UC) Programs for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. In this position, she is responsible for the oversight and administration of the Commonwealth’s UC programs, including the Office of UC Benefits Policy, the Office of UC Service Centers, and the Office of UC Tax Services. Prior to this appointment, Maria served as the Deputy Chief Counsel for UC, having come to that position from the Department of Corrections, where she served as counsel in the litigation section, representing DOC employees in litigation before state and federal courts. Maria graduated from Elizabethtown College with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy. She received her Juris Doctor from the Dickinson School of Law of the Pennsylvania State University. In her free time, Maria enjoys running, reading, and spending time with her mom and cats, Mitzi and Bernie.
Becky Messimer: I am a lead teacher of the 2’s and 3’s preschool class at Grace United Methodist Church. I will, on many occasions, substitute for the 3’s class, 4’s class, and the pre-k class, as well. I am also a figure skating coach at Klick Lewis Arena. My family and I have been a part of Holy Spirit since 2011. I have five siblings, four of which are my brothers David, Noah, Elijah, and Joshua, as well as my older sister, Jessica. However, I must delightfully say our family has already grown with two wonderful and charming nieces, Snow and Charlotte. I am involved in PREP as the coordinator for grades 1-6.
Rob Shelton: I have been a resident of Palmyra since 1978. I am married to Kris and am the father of three grown children and grandfather of eight. I enjoy golf, reading, traveling, and attending grandchildren’s activities. I am a graduate of catholic grade school and high school. I earned a B.S. from Penn State and an MBA from Syracuse University. I worked 30 plus years in marketing with Hershey and the PA Lottery and am currently retired. I have been a member of Holy Spirit since 1978 and active in a number of organizations and events, including the parish council finance committee, new church steering and fund-raising committees, Eucharistic minister, lector, summer festival, fish fry, and collection counter. In the Palmyra community I have served as director and coach in the Palmyra T-ball league, coached Palmyra recreation league soccer, and was the treasurer of the Palmyra Cougar Club for ten years.
Brian Nornhold, Finance Chair – ex officio: Brian was born in Palmyra, PA and graduated from Palmyra High School. After graduating from Grove City College with a BA in Accounting, he obtained his CPA license from the state of Pennsylvania and earned an MBA from Penn State University. Brian has lived in Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Columbus, and London. Over the past 33 years, he has gained extensive experience in accounting, auditing, taxes, and financial management in a number of public accounting and corporate financial management roles. He is the owner of Nornhold & Associates, LLC, a professional services firm that provides a wide range of accounting, finance, management consulting, and tax services for individuals and small to medium-sized companies. Brian currently resides in Palmyra with his wife of 25 years, Maureen.