St. Vincent volunteer defends ex-dining hall manager

St. Vincent volunteer defends ex-dining hall manager

The news that Skip Barone resigned his position as manager of the St. Vincent de Paul soup kitchen is extremely unsettling and cause for great concern in our city. This man perfectly represented the mission and values of the St. Vincent de Paul Society.

During the four years I have intermittently volunteered representing Holy Apostles Parish, I have observed Mr. Barone in action, exemplifying a servant heart for the poor, homeless, marginalized, outcast, downtrodden, mentally ill, physically ill, hungry men, women and children who pour into that facility some 200 to 300 per day, five days a week, 52 weeks a year. Every day he said “all are welcome” and showed so much respect and kindness to diners, volunteers and kitchen staff alike.

It troubles me to read that he is disparaged because he “doesn’t follow the rules.” What rules is society President Antal referring to? Is it that a bagged lunch may go out the door for a homeless person who may be too infirmed to leave his or her tent? Skip has had the street smarts to know who needs help out in the homeless corridors of our city. He has a keen heart for the needs of the needy.

There is no need for the society president to engage in a power play with a man who has faithfully served the poor for 15-plus years. Remember, Jesus served thousands out of a few fish and couple of loaves of bread. The needy of Youngstown deserve to be first at the banquet of compassion and kindness.

To me, the society of St. Vincent de Paul would be better served by looking for a new president.

Kathleen Berry, Youngstown

Russia as worthy partner?

A few weeks ago, U.S. Rep. John Conyers’ House Judiciary Committee held one of the few government hearings on “The Deteriorating Relationship between Russia and the U.S.” Members of the newly reactivated ACEWA (American Committee on East-West Accord) board Jack Matlock (former U.S. ambassador to Russia under President Reagan), Stephen Cohen (emeritus history professor of Russian Studies from Princeton), and John Pepper (former president of Colgate-Palmolive and Colgate in Russia) gave statements before an audience of 150 that I was privileged to be a part of.

The US-Russian relationship turned south in 2012 when Ukraine was invited to join the European Union and NATO or align with Russia. It has continued to sour through the Sochi Olympics, the downed Dutch airliner MH-17 over Donetsk, and currently the Syrian civil war displacing millions of penniless immigrants to the shores of Europe. Ironically the ugly head of ISIS has recently arisen to replace Russians (as we were once before united against Hitler 70 years ago).

One point that was raised at the Conyers’ hearing was that if we can proclaim the Monroe Doctrine to protect U.S. security in this hemisphere, why can’t we recognize this same need on the part of other major powers such as Russia? Doesn’t Russia have this same right to its own security? How would we react to its interference in “our hemisphere of security”? Remember the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962?

Having returned from Russia after a summer visit, I can say that our boycott of the celebration of the Russian Victory Day 70 years after World War II did not win many friends among the Russian people. Russian losses numbered 27 million in the European Theatre, while American losses, while significant and again respected this Veterans’ Day, were close to half a million. Does this make Russia a second-rate power? It is time to consider them worthy partners in this world, even if we don’t always agree.

Howard Mettee, Poland