Parish Council Nominees

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Mike and Melissa Hayes are longtime parishioners here at Immaculate Conception.  They joined the parish in 2005, shortly after they married and moved to Wyncote.  Mike and Melissa since have been blessed with three wonderful children:  Nolan, Mira, and Caitlin.  Mike is a lector here at Immaculate, but he has not given up his day job as a lawyer at a Philadelphia firm, Horn Williamson, LLC, where he serves as the firm litigation chair.  Mike also is a long-standing member of the board of directors for the Homeless Advocacy Project, a pro bono legal services organization.  Since receiving a direct commission in 2014, it has been Mike’s honor to serve as an officer in the JAG Corps of the United States Army Reserve; he currently serves as the assigned Brigade Judge Advocate for an Engineer Brigade in New York State.  Finally, Mike Hayes is a long-time volunteer with the scouts – he currently serves as the scoutmaster for Troop 304, which is chartered out of Saint Luke’s in Glenside.  Mike, Melissa, and their children love the parish and the close-knit, real sense of community here at Immaculate Conception, where Mike hopes to put his many years of legal experience and board experience to good use on the Parish Council.

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Thank you for considering me for the Parish Council. My name is Brian McNamara, I'm a father of 4 and husband to my high school sweetheart, Andrea. We joined Immaculate 6 years ago after moving back to the area from St. Anthony's parish in Ambler. I have been blessed to be born and raised in this area and am a graduate of St. Luke's and Bishop McDevitt.

I'm seeking to join Immaculate's parish council to serve, strengthen and help grow our faith community. I'm passionate about programs that help the underserved (e.g. SJH casserole program) as well as helping anyone striving for a more prayer filled life. 

Peace

I started attending Mass at Immaculate Conception several years ago when I was a member of another local parish. I was immediately struck by the genuine warmth of the clergy, the meaningful homilies, and the beautiful music. I truly felt like I was “home” and joined the parish.

As someone who wants to become more involved with the Church, it would be a privilege to serve on the Parish Council. I would welcome the opportunity to work with Father Howarth and other parishioners on the Council in pastoral planning.  Immaculate Conception is a very special parish, and the Parish Council plays an important role in keeping parishioners engaged in all that the Church has to offer in our respective journeys towards greater holiness.

On a personal note, I grew up in Fox Chase and have lived in the Abington area for more than 30 years.  My husband (Jack) and I love being grandparents to our three young grandchildren. I have been employed as an attorney in Catholic healthcare for over twenty years.  Before becoming an attorney, I worked as a registered nurse.

Fran O'Neill is a lifelong member of the parish.  His parents were members along with his grandparents, and he attended the parish elementary school.  Fran and his wife Mika are enthusiastic about raising their five children in the parish.  Fran has served as a catechist in the past (he wasn't very good at it though) and his three oldest children frequently volunteer as altar servers.  Fran and Mika met while attending the Catholic University of America in Washington D.C.  

Fran is a founding partner of a law firm in Center City, Philadelphia, and has been practicing law since 2007.  He looks forward to the opportunity to serve Immaculate Conception as a member of its Parish Council.

Sarah Kovacs Peacock has been a member of Immaculate Conception parish since December 2018. Her children attended IMC pre-school and during this time she has volunteered for various school fundraisers and events. Sarah was a part of the planning committee for the parish’s first ever beer pairing event held in January 2022, and was also a weekly volunteer for PREP during the 2021-2022 school year. 

Sarah is a graduate of La Salle University and works for the financial services company JG Wentworth. She brings close to 20 years of experience in volunteer management, event and business operations, corporate sponsorships and employee retention. 

Sarah believes in the importance of a strong church community and the daily execution of that community’s mission. It is the duty and responsibility of the Church to create an environment that builds unity,  fosters fellowship, educates it’s parishioners and helps in their spiritual development and journey and it is up to each and every one of us to nurture and tend to that environment.

A Board-certified General Surgeon with additional formal training in Surgical Oncology and extensive experience in Trauma Surgery, Dr. Sariego is a Philadelphia native.

Dr. Sariego, worked in academia and was an Assistant/Associate Professor at Hahnemann University until 1996. During that time, he also had a thriving clinical practice comprised of general surgery and surgical oncology. In 1996, Dr. Sariego transitioned to private practice and moved to rural Mississippi, where he was the only surgeon for a 100-mile radius. In 2006, after weathering Hurricane Katrina on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Dr. Sariego and his family moved back to his native Philadelphia. He was recruited back to academia, this time to Temple University, where he held the rank of Professor of Surgery and served as the Associate Program Director for the Surgery Residency at Temple. In September, 2018, Dr. Sariego joined Penn Medicine as Vice President for Perioperative Services at Pennsylvania Hospital and served in that role until September, 2021. Dr. Sariego was also an active member of the United States Air Force Reserve and rose to the permanent rank of Colonel.

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I am actively involved in Music Ministry at Immaculate and gratefully accept this nomination. 

My name is Theresa Stanton.  I am a Catholic educator and a mom of seven.  My oldest daughter recently made me a grandmom! My family and I have benefitted from membership in ICC for many years. As a firm believer in the philosophy of servant leadership, I would like the opportunity to give back to our parish through service on Parish Council. I remember the joy of sending our children to a beloved parish school which provided a sense of faith community. When our school was in operation, our CYO thrived and our kids participated in sports, service, social, and spiritually enriching activities.  As a member of parish council, I would like to join other parish parents in reinvigorating our youth programs.  Thank you for this nomination!

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