July 4th,
2026, was the 250th anniversary of the founding of the
United States. Parishioners from Holy Family Catholic
Church, in the Manayunk section of Philadelphia, joined
with other churches and organizations in the 21st Ward
4th of July parade. The parade is one of the oldest
continuously running Independence Day parades in the
United States blending community pride, faith and
patriotism.
Among
those parading with the Holy Family Parish was Mary Tinneny Reed, great-granddaughter of Patrick
and Margaret Tinneny who settled the Tinneny family in
Philadelphia and Holy Family Parish in 1900. Throughout
the year Mary regularly serves as a lector at Mass in
the church.
Mary
follows in the footsteps of an unbroken line of Tinneny
descendants who were parishioners and actively supported
parish activities in various roles beginning with her
great-grandmother Margaret Tinneny. As a volunteer,
Margaret managed the parish soup kitchen at Holy Family
during the depression.
The Holy
Family Parish contingent in the parade dressed in
colonial costume representing important colonists
“stole the show”. Mary Reed front row 2nd from
left.
