Our Lady of Hope

About Our Lady of Hope Chapel

Our Lady of Hope Chapel is a small, historic Roman Catholic mission chapel at 1581 Main Street (Historic Route 6A) in West Barnstable, Massachusetts. It is administered as a worship site of Our Lady of Victory Parish in Centerville, within the Diocese of Fall River. The chapel is celebrated for its distinctive architecture and for the warm, small-scale Catholic community it has nurtured on Cape Cod for more than a century.

History

The chapel was built in 1914 by Portuguese immigrants who had followed the cod fisheries to Cape Cod, farmed the surrounding land, and worked the kilns at the West Barnstable Brick Works. Its design was created by Matthew Sullivan of the Boston and New York firm Magginis and Walsh. The driving force behind its construction was Rev. Mortimer Downing, an Irish-born, Paris-educated pastor of the Catholic church in Hyannis, who infused the design with Greek, Near Eastern, and Byzantine features he had studied in the Basque country of southwestern France.

Architecture and Design

The chapel is a 160-seat building described as 'Moorish Catholic' or 'Spanish Monastic' in style, with features drawn from Greek, Near Eastern, and Byzantine architecture. These influences reflect the vision of Father Mortimer Downing, who drew on his years of travel and study in southwestern France. In the 2000s air conditioning was added and a new parking plan was completed in 2007 to better serve the chapel's roughly 400 parish families.

Clergy and Staff

Our Lady of Hope is served by the clergy and staff of Our Lady of Victory Parish. The current Parochial Administrator is Rev. Christopher D. Hughes; he is assisted by Parochial Vicar Rev. Balaswamy Thippabathini and a team of retired Mass Assistants. A corps of four permanent deacons supports the parish's sacramental life.

• Parochial Administrator: Rev. Christopher D. Hughes ([email protected])
• Parochial Vicar: Rev. Balaswamy Thippabathini
• Mass Assistants: Rev. Richard Casey, Rev. Robert Soucy, Rev. James Finley, Rev. Richard DeVeer, Rev. George Bellenoit
• Deacons: Theodore E. Lukac, Keith Caldwell, Richard Murphy, David Roderick
• Business Manager: Kelley Spodris
• Director of Music: Dorothy Lortie
• GIFT Confirmation / Youth Ministry: Maureen Hufnagle

Faith Formation and Youth Ministry

The parish's GIFT Program (Generations In Faith Together) has been the umbrella for family faith formation at Our Lady of Victory for more than 20 years, serving both children and adults. Confirmation preparation and youth ministry are coordinated through the parish office, and a combined Religious Education program with Our Lady of the Assumption is offered through the OLV office.

• GIFT Program — children and adult faith formation
• Confirmation / Youth Ministry (Maureen Hufnagle, [email protected])
• RCIA / OCIA — Becoming Catholic (Rev. Gregory Mathias)
• Combined Religious Education with Our Lady of the Assumption, Osterville

Music and Liturgy

Liturgical music at Our Lady of Hope and Our Lady of Victory is led by Director of Music Dorothy Lortie. The music ministry supports the Sunday Mass at the chapel as well as the broader worship life of the parish.

• Director of Music: Dorothy Lortie ([email protected], 508-771-1029)

Sacraments

The parish office at Our Lady of Victory coordinates the celebration of the sacraments for Our Lady of Hope Chapel, including Baptism, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick, and Funeral Masses. Confirmation is prepared through the GIFT Program, and adults seeking to become Catholic are welcomed through the RCIA process.

• Baptism: Deacon Keith Caldwell ([email protected])
• Wedding at OLV or OLH: Kelley Spodris
• Anointing of the Sick: 508-775-5744 x113 (after-hours emergency page available)
• Funeral Mass: Kelley Spodris
• Confirmation: Maureen Hufnagle
• RCIA / Becoming Catholic: Rev. Gregory Mathias

Stewardship and Parish Support

Our Lady of Victory Parish supports Our Lady of Hope Chapel through centralized stewardship and business operations. The parish offers electronic giving through WeShare, and welcomes parishioners and visitors to share their time and talents.

• Electronic giving via WeShare
• Business Manager: Kelley Spodris ([email protected], 508-775-5744 x113)
• Office Assistant: Kate Faherty ([email protected])
• Office Assistant: Kim Kennedy ([email protected])

Safe Environment

Our Lady of Victory Parish is committed to providing a safe environment for all who worship, minister, work, or volunteer. The parish follows the diocesan 'Essential Three' safe-environment policy and cooperates with the Diocese of Fall River's Office of Safe Environment.

• Diocesan Safe Environment policy compliance
• Essential Three training and background checks for ministers and volunteers

Vocations

Our Lady of Victory Parish prays for and supports vocations to the priesthood, diaconate, religious life, and lay ministry. Parishioners can connect with the parish vocations ministry through the parish office or the Diocese of Fall River Vocations office.

• Parish vocations prayer and support
• Diocesan vocations partnership
• Contact: [email protected] or 508-775-5744