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St. Patrick, St. Dom flocks unite for bite of South Side flavor
The Vindicator (Youngstown)
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The Rev. Greg Maturi, pastor of St. Dominic Church, lifts 5-year-old Jack Neill into the air at The Boulevard Tavern on the city’s South Side. Members of St. Dominic and St. Patrick churches gathered at the Southern Boulevard restaurant Tuesday evening to get to know one another.
The Vindicator (Youngstown)
Photo
Members of St. Patrick and St. Dominic churches met for dinner at The Boulevard Tavern, 3503 Southern Blvd., Youngstown.
By Ashley Luthern
aluthern@vindy.com
YOUNGSTOWN
Icy roads and frigid weather were not enough to keep two congregations from sliding into booths at a city restaurant Tuesday night.
Members of St. Patrick and St. Dominic churches enjoyed spaghetti, fish, pirogi and other offerings at the The Boulevard Tavern, 3503 Southern Blvd. The two South Side parishes collaborate on many projects.
Bob and Carla Hlavac of Poland have been members of St. Patrick Church for 25 years and said they eat at The Boulevard weekly.
“I think [the dinner] is a good thing. The events a year ago put fear in people, but you can’t live your life in fear,” Bob said, referring to the murder of 80-year-old St. Dominic parishioner Angeline Fimognari.
Carla said she and Bob come to The Boulevard because of its history. Nick Petrella owns the restaurant, which his grandfather founded in 1937.
“It’s a local establishment. It’s been here a long time, and it’s not a chain,” Carla said.
The Rev. Edward Noga of St. Patrick Church proposed the dinner as a way for the two congregations to mingle at a South Side business.
“People have to eat. We just wanted to let people come and move around. It’s a low-key way for the two parishes to meet one another,” Father Noga said.
He added the congregation supports local businesses in general, and that people seem “more sensitive” to buying local.
“When you go to a chain, most of the money goes back to that company’s home state headquarters,” Father Noga said.
Lou and Sally Joseph of Boardman joined Ed and Marilyn Kocur and Mary Lou Eicher at a table for dinner.
The dinner was “just put in the bulletin. It wasn’t a big announcement. Some people might think we’re crazy for coming out in this weather,” Lou Joseph said.
He and other patrons admitted they had a case of “cabin fever” with recent winter weather keeping them indoors.
Many of the diners were from Youngstown suburbs, said Ed Kocur. “We have people from all over that come to St. Patrick’s,” said Ed, who is from Boardman.
Eicher added that St. Patrick Church has been called the “heart of the city” and that Father Noga and the parishioners support Youngstown.
In that same theme, the Rev. Greg Maturi of St. Dominic Church said he considers the dinner another part of Operation Redemption.
Operation Redemption is an effort by elected officials and law enforcement to revitalize the city, starting with the South Side as a model.
“It just shows the mettle of the people of Youngstown. The weather and the thugs don’t keep them away,” Father Maturi said.