Brother Martin Simpson and Brother Philip Whitman Celebrate Golden Jubilees

Two Christian Brothers of the Baltimore District recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of their religious consecration. Brother Martin Simpson’s jubilee was held on Saturday, September 29, 2001 at La Salle University in Philadelphia. Fr. David Beebe, the University’s chaplain, presided at the Liturgy attended by many of Marty’s confreres, colleagues, and family, including his mother. Brother Andrew Bartley served as master of ceremonies at the reception and dinner that followed, and did a fine job highlighting the pivotal moments of Brother Martin’s storied career that began as a classroom teacher in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh and which drew him to service as a missionary in the Philippine Islands for over thirty years. Brother Martin remained two weeks in the U.S. after his jubilee before returning to the Philippines.

Brother Philip Whitman celebrated his golden jubilee on Saturday, October 6, 2001 at Calvert Hall College in Baltimore, his alma mater. Presiding at the Eucharistic Liturgy was Bishop William Newman, the auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Baltimore and a high school classmate of Brother Phil’s. Brother Richard Kestler, president of West Catholic, served as the master of ceremonies, and Brother Patrick Ellis, director of development for the Baltimore District, offered a series of lighthearted reflections on Brother Philip’s religious “tour of duty”, including his many years at La Salle College, the St. La Salle Auxiliary, St. Gabriel’s Hall, and, most recently, his days of “active retirement” spent in Ammendale.