New Documentary about Greg Maturi, O.P.


March 3, 2014

Alex Cook, a student at Ohio Wesleyan University, recently released a short documentary about the heyday, decline, and revival of Youngstown, Ohio, telling the complicated story of the city through the perspective of Greg Maturi, O.P., and his urban-renewal project Operation Redemption. The documentary is entitled Death and Redemption: A Portrait of One Priest’s Struggle Against Urban Blight. It has been made available online, and can be viewed here. The documentary follows Fr. Greg’s passionate response to the shocking murders of two elderly St. Dominic’s parishioners, Angeline Fimognari and Thomas Repchic, and his labors to ensure that similar tragedies would not recur. Fr. Greg’s efforts led him to develop Operation Redemption, a sweeping project to restore beauty and safety to Youngstown’s impoverished South Side, working with a host of different non-profit, religious, and political groups to transform the area’s blighted cityscape into green spaces and parks. The wide-ranging project has also led to increased police presence, the opening of a new charter school in the area, and many other initiatives to enable the people of Youngstown to live, work, and play in a truly human environment. Death and Revival is the latest in a long series of local and national media coverage of Fr. Greg’s efforts in Youngstown. Operation Redemption is an ongoing project, and remains in need of financial assistance. Those interested in contributing to Fr. Greg’s work to bring the light of the Gospel to the residents of Youngstown’s South Side by restoring a living space that accords with human dignity are urged to contact St. Dominic’s Parish at stdomsytn@yahoo.com, or by phone at (330) 783 – 1900.

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