The Father Alphonse Frederick Legacy League for St. Margaret Parish was initiated Nov. 9 by Msgr. Michael Schleupner.
Inducted were Rev. Francis Callahan, Patrick and Kelly Cullum, Madeline Francis, Patrick and Chrystie Goles, Laura Lang, Dorothy Pasko, Helen Paulus, Victor and Carol Petrosino, David Rigotti, Mark and Victoria Semanie, Joseph and Alice Skorcz, Charles and Carolyn Slimowicz, Barbara Stratton, Karen Watsic and Chester White. These individuals and families have already made a bequest or have established a gift for St. Margaret in their estate plans. Also inducted were three recently deceased benefactors George and Frances Hopkins and Jennie Zukauskas.
Father Frederick was the first pastor of St. Margaret (1905 to 1918) and gave the parish the land where the church is. Father Frederick oversaw the building of the original church, now the Adult Education Center. The church has remain indebted to Father Frederick's spiritual leadership as well as his financial legacy. He contributed much to the 109-year history of St. Margaret Parish in Bel Air.
"We moved to Bel Air in 1966. For almost 50 years now, St. Margaret has been a home for us, a place that has nurtured, taught and supported our family, and so very many other families. At the same time, our programs and people reach out to those outside of our parish 24/7, 365 days a year. I've come to realize and appreciate the fact that only the generosity of those who have gone before us has enabled us to have and enjoy and be enriched by what the generosity and sense of obligation of others has made possible. So now, it is time to 'pay it forward' – to do for those who will follow us what was done for us by those who came before us," one of the donors said.