In February, 1923, a small group of Catholics gathered in a storeroom on the corner of Market Street and Ravenwood Avenue for the first Mass of St. Dominic Parish in Youngstown, Mahoning County.
Now, 100 years later, parish expansion spawned new church and school buildings, a priory for the Dominican friars and brothers in residence and more, as the faith community has survived and thrived.
The parish celebrated its centennial anniversary on May 20 with a Mass celebrated by Bishop David Bonnar and a catered banquet, with 230 people in attendance.
“St. Dominic Parish has been a very fruitful mission for us for the last 100 years. The faith life is incredibly special here,” said Father Vincent DeLucia, pastor of St. Dominic Parish, adding that parishioners’ support over the decades is “a testament to the building of this massive church and to their wish to have us here and have a great foundation in the Catholic faith.”
Parishioner Thomas D’Amico attended St. Dominic School, as did his three daughters. “When I went to St. Dominic School, there was only one lay teacher. The nuns were all wonderful teachers,” D’Amico recalled. The site of the present church was the school playground during D’Amico’s time there.
D’Amico has known all the pastors since Father Joseph O’Connell, who served from 1942 to 1956. “The Dominicans are such reverent men. Just being exposed to them is a blessing,” said D’Amico.
The lifelong parishioner is an active volunteer, formerly with the Holy Name Society and the reverse raffle, and now the Knights of Columbus and the men’s fellowship group. He values the devotional aspects of parish life—the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy and the rosary prayed before morning Mass and Tuesday Adoration—which he hopes continue.
Paul Mastriana was baptized at St. Dominic Parish, moved away with his family as a child and rejoined the parish 15 years ago.
He returned to the parish because, “I love the beauty of the church, and the Dominicans tend to be more traditional and somewhat conservative in their view of the Church and society. We embrace a lot of the same values,” he said.
Mastriana also said he valued Father Gregory Maturi’s efforts in reducing crime and blight in the neighborhood. “We feel very strong about keeping the parish alive, financially, and maintaining stability. I hope that dedication continues for the future of the parish.”
Daniel McGiffin’s parish roots run deep. “My great-grandparents Adam and Margaret Handel housed the Dominican friars when they first came to the area,” McGiffin related. His grandparents and parents were also lifelong parishioners.
Both of McGiffin’s parents attended St. Dominic School. McGiffin’s middle name, Aloysius, came from Dominican Sister Aloysius who taught McGiffin’s father. “Sister Aloysius put my dad on the right path, took him away from the path of waywardness that he was on. He admired her for that,” McGiffin related.
McGiffin said he values the way the Dominicans teach the faith and their example as priests and men. Looking to the future, McGiffin hopes St. Dominic Parish “brings more younger priests, not only to grow the parish, but also [to] help the diocese in general.”
Dennis Mamone joined the parish in 1974 after he and his late wife, Hannah, were married. “We lived in the neighborhood and St. Dominic Parish was convenient,” Mamone said. The couple grew to love the parish and “stayed there even when we moved to Boardman,” Mamone continued.
The couple taught CCD classes and helped with fundraising and the St. Vincent de Paul Society. “The Catholic faith is very important,” Mamone said of his participation in parish activities. Mamone’s hope for the future is that the parish stays constant and continues to grow with new parishioners.
In 1923, Archbishop Joseph R. Schrembs invited the Order of Preachers (Dominicans) to open a parish here. At the time, Youngstown was part of the Diocese of Cleveland. One year later with a growing parish, a combination church, school and auditorium was built on Auburndale Avenue, just off Southern Boulevard. The Caldwell Dominican Sisters from Akron, followed by the Sisters of St. Dominic of Akron, staffed the school.
In 1929, the school was expanded because of an increasing student population. In 1939, a three-story convent was built to house the Dominican Sisters. Planning for the present church began in 1955, with the Christmas Midnight Mass celebrated in the new church that year. The church was officially completed and dedicated on April 28, 1957.
The following year, a new school building consisting of 14 classrooms, a library, gymnasium and cafeteria was dedicated. As student enrollment expanded, six additional classrooms were added to the school. The parish school closed in 1999 due to declining enrollment.
In 1978 and 1979, the church and parish hall were renovated to comply with the directives of the Second Vatican Council. Today, St. Dominic Parish has more than 700 registered households.
