About Our Lady of Victory · Baltimore, Maryland
Our Lady of Victory (OLV) is a Roman Catholic parish in the Arbutus neighborhood of southwest Baltimore, Maryland, founded in 1952 to serve the post-war baby-boom generation. The parish belongs to the Archdiocese of Baltimore and today serves approximately 600 families across two campuses — the main OLV campus on Wilkens Avenue and St. Joseph's Monastery (SJM) on Old Frederick Road — following a December 1, 2024 merger under the Archdiocese's Seek the City to Come reorganization. The parish is notable for its vibrant Burmese Catholic community, which gathers every other week for a Burmese-language Mass, and for integrating UMBC's Catholic Retrievers campus ministry into parish life.
- Established
- 1952
- Patron
- Our Lady of Victory
- Rector
- Rev. Michael Murphy
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Baltimore
Why belong here
Our Lady of Victory offers the full rhythm of Catholic parish life for about 600 families: five Sunday Masses (including a biweekly Burmese-language Mass at 2:00 pm), daily Mass, weekday Eucharistic Adoration after each morning Mass, and regular Tuesday and Saturday Confession. The parish is rooted in the Arbutus community of southwest Baltimore, extends hospitality to the Burmese Catholic community and to UMBC students, and actively feeds the wider neighborhood through its Saturday-morning Food Pantry. A Knights of Columbus council and Ladies' Auxiliary, Respect Life ministry, OCIA (formerly RCIA), youth ministry, a CGS (Catechesis of the Good Shepherd) atrium, Eucharistic Ministers to the Sick and Homebound, and seasonal devotions like Stations of the Cross and Benediction round out a parish that sees itself as a worshipping, forming, and serving community.
Mass times at Our Lady of Victory
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday 6:00 PM – 6:45 PM (OLV Campus)
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM (OLV & SJM Campuses)
- Also by appointment — call the parish office at 410-242-0131
Adoration times
- Monday after the 8:00 AM Mass
- Tuesday after the 8:00 AM Mass, and 6:00 PM – 6:55 PM
- Wednesday after the 8:00 AM Mass
- Thursday after the 8:00 AM Mass
- Friday after the 8:00 AM Mass
Parish History
Our Lady of Victory was founded in 1952 to serve the post-war baby boom in southwest Baltimore, first meeting in the former St. Mary's Industrial School at Wilkens and Caton Avenues. The parish moved to its current Wilkens Avenue site in the mid-1950s, built a combined school/church building whose cornerstone was laid July 26, 1956, and opened its school staffed by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in September 1957. The temporary church (originally the school auditorium) was converted into the permanent worship space under Father Thomas Byrd in the early 1970s and renovated again under Father Chris Carney in the early 1980s. A major Master-Plan renovation under Father Timothy Klunk added a gathering space with seven restored stained-glass windows from St. Mary's Industrial School; the completed church was blessed by Archbishop Edwin F. O'Brien on March 13, 2010. In May 2021 the Archdiocese closed OLV School, and on December 1, 2024 the parish became the seat of a new merged parish under Archbishop William Lori's 'Seek the City to Come' decree.
- Founded September 14, 1952 (first Mass)
- Land purchased 1954 (4 acres from Ascension, 10 acres from St. Charles College)
- Cornerstone laid July 26, 1956; first Mass in temporary church February 10, 1957
- Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur staffed OLV School from 1957
- 2008–2009 Master Plan renovation; church blessed March 13, 2010
- OLV School closed by the Archdiocese in May 2021
- Merged parish effective December 1, 2024
Our Pastor and Pastoral Team
Rev. Michael Murphy, formerly pastor of St. Joseph's Monastery, is the current pastor of Our Lady of Victory following the December 1, 2024 merger. Rev. Paul Breczinski serves as associate pastor. The parish also has a deacon — Deacon Bill Jauquet — referenced in parish communications.
- Rev. Michael Murphy — Pastor
- Rev. Paul Breczinski — Associate Pastor
- Deacon Bill Jauquet
Burmese Catholic Community
Our Lady of Victory has become a spiritual home for Baltimore-area Catholic Burmese migrants and refugees, many of whom chose to live close to the church. The community gathers for a Burmese-language Mass every other Sunday at 2:00 PM. Local reporting from The Baltimore Banner credited Burmese parishioners' activism as a key reason the parish was granted a reprieve from the original Seek the City closure proposal in May 2024.
- Burmese-language Mass every other Sunday at 2:00 PM
- Anchors Baltimore's Burmese Catholic community
Worship Site at St. Joseph's Monastery
Following the December 1, 2024 merger, the St. Joseph's Monastery campus on Old Frederick Road in Irvington remains open as a worship site of the merged Our Lady of Victory parish, with Mass, funerals, and baptisms continuing there while administrative functions are centralized at OLV.
- St. Joseph's Monastery — active worship site
- Saturday Vigil 4:00 PM and Sunday 8:30 AM and 11:00 AM Masses listed on OLV schedule under 'SJM Campus'
- Administrative seat remains at 4414 Wilkens Avenue
Faith Formation & Religious Education
OLV's Religious Education program gathers in the OLV Religious Ed Center (church basement) and includes OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) for adults preparing to enter the Church, a Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) atrium for children, and a parish Youth Ministry renewed under Fr. Joshua Laws in 2016. The parish also offers Lenten faith enrichment such as the young-adult scripture series 'A Second Look.'
- OCIA — Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (formerly RCIA)
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) — site coordinator Alicia Haler, formation leader Sr. Anna Christi Solis, OP
- Parish Youth Ministry
- Religious Education Center on the OLV campus
- 'A Second Look' young-adult scripture reflection (Lenten series)
Campus Ministry — UMBC Catholic Retrievers
Since 2016, OLV has formally integrated the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) Catholic Retrievers campus ministry into parish life, bringing together undergraduate students and parish families for liturgical and social activities at both the university and the Wilkens Avenue campus.
- UMBC Catholic Retrievers student community
- Activities at both UMBC and OLV campuses
- Began under Fr. John Rapisarda in 2016
Outreach & Social Action
Parishioners operate a Food Pantry every Saturday morning, distributing nonperishable and perishable food (plus cleaning supplies, toiletries, and paper products) collected and donated by parish families. Eucharistic Ministers to the Sick and Homebound bring Communion to those unable to attend Mass, and the Respect Life ministry carries out parish pro-life work.
- Food Pantry — Saturdays 9:00–10:00 AM, open to all in need (ZIP 21227 & 21229)
- Eucharistic Ministers to the Sick and Homebound
- Respect Life ministry
- Social Action activities
Parish Organizations
Our Lady of Victory hosts a Knights of Columbus council and Ladies' Auxiliary, supports liturgical and music ministries, and maintains pastoral councils that contributed to the parish Master Plan under Father Klunk.
- Knights of Columbus Council 16104
- Knights of Columbus Ladies' Auxiliary
- Pastoral Council and Finance Committee
- Liturgical ministries (music/choir, lectors, servers, ushers)
Sacraments
OLV celebrates the full sacramental life of the Catholic Church. Baptisms, First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick, and Reconciliation are prepared and celebrated through the parish office, with Confession scheduled Tuesday and Saturday and by appointment.
- Baptism
- First Communion & Confirmation preparation
- Marriage preparation
- Anointing of the Sick / Communion to the Sick and Homebound
- Reconciliation (Confession): Tue & Sat scheduled + by appointment
Seasonal Devotions & Parish Life
During Lent the parish offers Soup & Bread (6:00 PM), Stations of the Cross (7:00 PM), a High School Hang Out for teens, Artful Devotions (a Lenten reflection pairing the Sunday Gospel with visual art, music, and poetry), and the young-adult 'A Second Look' scripture series. Adoration and Benediction are part of the regular devotional rhythm.
- Stations of the Cross (Lent Fridays 7:00 PM)
- Soup & Bread (Lent Fridays 6:00 PM)
- High School Hang Out (monthly first Friday)
- Artful Devotions (Lenten art/music/poetry reflection)
- Adoration and Benediction
Visit & Contact
Our Lady of Victory's parish office is at 4414 Wilkens Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21229. The office can be reached at (410) 242-0131 (fax 410-242-6963) or by email at [email protected]. Mass and Confession schedules are also published through the parish Flocknote email list and the official Facebook page.
- Address: 4414 Wilkens Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21229
- Phone: (410) 242-0131
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://olvictory.org/
- Facebook: facebook.com/olvictorychurch
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Peacockfounding pastor (1952–c.1954 land purchase)
Founded the parish in 1952; purchased the Wilkens Avenue land in 1954 (4 acres from Ascension Parish, 10 acres from St. Charles College).
- Father Thomas Byrd1972–
Converted the temporary school auditorium into the permanent worship space; new stained glass windows, new lighting, new organ, and refinished St. Mary's Industrial School pews.
- Father Chris Carneyearly 1980s
Renovated the church again to redesign and enlarge the sanctuary and added a sacristy and Marian Room.
- Father Timothy Klunk2000–
Led the development of the parish Master Plan and the 2004 'Continuing the Tradition of Victory' capital campaign; renovation completed 2009, blessed by Archbishop O'Brien in 2010.
- Fr. John Rapisarda2016–c.2020
Integrated UMBC Catholic Retrievers campus ministry into parish life; Fr. Joshua Laws joined him as associate pastor.
- Fr. Bill KeownAdministrator Feb 2020; Pastor Feb 2021–
Led the parish through school closure (May 2021) and the 2024 Seek the City reorganization that ultimately preserved OLV.
- Rev. Michael Murphy2024–present
Formerly pastor of St. Joseph's Monastery; named pastor of the merged Our Lady of Victory parish under Archbishop William Lori's December 1, 2024 decree.