Luncheon honors Father Maturi, though reassignment delayed

YOUNGSTOWN

Horizon Science Academy hosted a goodbye luncheon to recognize the community contributions of the Rev. Greg Maturi, pastor of St. Dominic Church.

It was the third such party for the priest, who has served six years at the church at 77 E. Lucius Ave., and is awaiting reassignment.

But, if Victoria Allen, president of ICU Block Watch, has anything to say, she’ll take her appeal to Pope Francis to have Father Maturi stay.

“He’s my partner in crime,” said the Lucius Avenue resident Thursday with a smile and a bit of irony. She has worked with the priest in the neighborhood to make it a better place to live.

“I went to the church one day to talk to him. I told him we had to do something in the neighborhood to make it a safer place,” she recalled of their meeting. This came after the murder of Angeline Fimognari as she left the 8 a.m. Mass on Jan. 23, 2010, and eight months later, the killing of parishioner Thomas Repchic and wounding of his wife, Jacqueline, on Sept. 25 by gun violence in an incident of mistaken identity near the church.

Father Maturi’s activism in the community evolved out of these tragedies.

Read more about this caring priest in Friday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.