The grass is always greener ... and mowed

Late each week this summer, the sound of lawn mowers has been a regular part of the sound-scape around St. Patrick Church on the city’s South Side.

Several years ago, the parish began cutting the grass on adjacent properties that it didn’t own.

In the modern era of urban living, it is not unusual for folks to cut grass on adjacent properties they don’t own.

Some see this effort as just being a good neighbor. Others see it as a way of enhancing the property they own.

Some may just pull the cord on their mower for exercise as well as necessity.

Whatever reason, most urban areas have a problem keeping up with grass cutting, so the army of citizens who push their mowers beyond their boundaries are really good neighbors and good citizens.

Youngstown, like many other communities, has hundreds of such community-minded neighbors.

Thank God for their generosity.

As St. Patrick’s developed its one-acre urban garden just south of the church a few years ago, the interest in adjacent properties not owned by the parish seemed to increase.

At the same time, the owners of V&V Appliance Parts near the parish began taking care of several vacant lots near their business on Kenmore Avenue.

Today, the parish cuts more land than we actually own, and some of the lots have become part of our property because of the creative initiative of the Lien Forward Ohio program in downtown Youngstown.

The grass-cutting team at St. Patrick’s includes Mike Amato, Terry Bixler, Greg Davner, Mohamed Hassen, Victor Perry, Ross Rodino, Ed Schanz, Christine Silvestri and Michael Syphard.

The parish accepts used and usable mowers. We have them re-conditioned for the fleet of mowers used in the grass-cutting initiative.

Two years ago, the Wean Foundation provided a Neighborhood Success Grant, which enabled the parish to buy a large zero-turn riding mower to make some of the effort a little easier. It also enabled us to give part-time, summer employment to a neighbor.

With work schedules, weather and vacations as variables, the grass-cutting team at St. Patrick’s has taken its weekly commitment very seriously so that the visitor or casual passerby notices the fruits of its labor.

In addition, there is a small group from the parish that works to keep the flower beds around the church weed-free.

Add the several families and individuals that work in the parish garden site and 4-H gardens just south of the church and you have a combination that has someone on site virtually every late afternoon or Saturday morning.

This past spring, Catholic Charities helped us build a new garage for our 4-H supplies, tools and materials.

The grass-cutting and gardening complement each other to keep our immediate neighborhood well- manicured.

In Scripture, we read many agrarian examples of planting, nourishing, weeding and harvesting.

Imaging our own lives, the growth of a garden is a daily endeavor to make sure that the harvest will be bountiful, and it is a great exercise for us.

Thank God for the volunteers who keep our lawns in good shape.

Thank God for disciples who help us stay in good spiritual shape … and thank God for the shape of our universe that provides us with so many possibilities.

The Rev. Edward Noga is pastor of St. Patrick Church in Youngstown.