About Our Lady of Victory · Beeville, Texas
Our Lady of Victory Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in Beeville, Texas, part of the Diocese of Corpus Christi. It grew out of a Spanish-language mission founded in 1908 under St. Joseph Church and became an independent parish in 1924 under the Franciscan Fathers, later served by the Missionaries of the Holy Family. Today the parish serves a bilingual (English and Spanish) community with a Vigil Mass on Saturday, two Sunday Masses, and four weekday Masses, and it operates a parish school and a religious education (CCE) program that has ministered to generations of Bee County families.
- Established
- 1924
- Patron
- Our Lady of Victory (the Blessed Virgin Mary, under the title of Our Lady of Victory)
- Rector
- Very Rev. Lukose Thirunelliparambil
- Diocese
- Diocese of Corpus Christi
Why belong here
Our Lady of Victory is a welcoming, bilingual Catholic parish where English-speaking and Spanish-speaking families worship side by side, with a Spanish Mass, a bilingual Mass, and an English Mass each weekend, plus weekday Masses and Saturday confessions. It is a parish with deep roots in Beeville — founded in 1924 out of a 1908 mission — that still runs its parish school and a CCE religious education program, hosts youth activities through the CYO Core Group, and gathers the community around traditional parish devotions and organizations like the Holy Name Society and the San José Men's Society. Visitors and newcomers can expect a friendly, multigenerational Hispanic-South-Texas Catholic community that takes seriously both the sacraments and the social life of the parish.
Mass times at Our Lady of Victory
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM
- By appointment / upon request
Parish History
Our Lady of Victory began in 1908 as a small frame mission church built by Rev. Juan Coma for the Spanish-speaking Catholics of Beeville, on the corner of Ireland Street and Avenue D. The mission grew rapidly and was raised to an independent parish on March 14, 1924, under the care of the Franciscan Fathers. Over the next several decades, the parish built a permanent church, rectory, convent, and a Catholic school — Our Lady of Victory School, which opened in 1924 under the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament. In 1930, sponsorship of the parish passed to the Missionaries of the Holy Family. A new school plant was built in 1946, and the parish established the St. James mission in 1947 to serve the Alta Vista Addition; that mission became a separate parish in 1966. Our Lady of Victory School was looking forward to its 50th anniversary celebrations in 1973–1974.
- 1908 — First frame church built at Ireland St. & Avenue D as a mission of St. Joseph's
- March 14, 1924 — Mission elevated to an independent parish; Franciscan Fathers arrive
- 1924 — Our Lady of Victory School opens under four Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament
- 1927 — Church moved to the present property
- 1930 — Missionaries of the Holy Family assume sponsorship; Rev. Anthony Easing serves as pastor
- 1946 — New school plant built (five classrooms, office, library)
- 1947 — St. James mission established in the Alta Vista Addition (became a parish in 1966)
- 1973–1974 — Our Lady of Victory School's 50th anniversary celebrated
Pastor & Parish Leadership
Our Lady of Victory is currently served by Very Rev. Lukose Thirunelliparambil, who has officiated at parish funerals and sacramental celebrations for many years. The pastor is supported by the parish office staff, and Mass is offered in English, Spanish, and bilingual formats every week to serve the parish's diverse community.
- Very Rev. Lukose Thirunelliparambil — current Pastor
- Parish Office — (361) 358-0088
- Parish Fax — (361) 358-2028
Parish School (Our Lady of Victory School)
Our Lady of Victory School has been a cornerstone of the parish since 1924, when it opened under the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament. The school serves families of Beeville and the surrounding Bee County area with a Catholic, faith-centered education from preschool through the upper grades, and remains a major reason families choose to belong to the parish.
- Founded 1924 — the same year the mission became an independent parish
- Originally staffed by the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament
- New school plant added in 1946 (five classrooms, office, library)
- Continues to provide Catholic education for Beeville-area families
Religious Education & Youth Ministry
The parish runs an active CCE (Catecismo) program for school-age children, separate tracks for elementary and high-school students, and a two-year Confirmation preparation program. Youth ministry is centered in the CYO Core Group, which hosts regular Teen Nights with games, scripture reflection, food, and fellowship, as well as occasional parish Lock-Ins and retreats held jointly with St. Joseph and St. James parishes.
- CCE — Catecismo (weekly religious education for elementary and high-school students)
- Confirmation preparation — 1st and 2nd year programs
- CYO Core Group (youth ministry)
- Teen Night — regular youth gatherings with pizza, games, and scripture
- Parish Lock-Ins and youth retreats (joint with St. Joseph and St. James parishes)
Parish Organizations & Community Life
Like many South Texas parishes, Our Lady of Victory has a strong tradition of lay organizations and parish fellowship. Men's societies such as the Holy Name Society and the San José Men's Society work on behalf of the parish and the spiritual growth of their members, and OLV's Bingo Hall has long served as a community gathering place for fundraising and fellowship.
- Holy Name Society (men's organization)
- San José Men's Society
- Parish Bingo — OLV Bingo Hall
- Funeral and bereavement ministry (rosaries, prayer services at local funeral homes)
Visiting & Contact Information
Our Lady of Victory welcomes visitors and newcomers to its weekend liturgies. The parish office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM (the office is closed on Wednesdays). Confessions are heard Saturday afternoons before the Vigil Mass, and at other times by appointment.
- Address — 707 N. Avenue E (also referenced as 710 N. Avenue D), Beeville, TX 78102
- Phone — (361) 358-0088
- Fax — (361) 358-2028
- Website — http://www.olvbeeville.org/
- Office hours — Monday–Friday 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM (closed Wednesdays)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Toribius Christmas1924–1926
First pastor after the mission became an independent parish in March 1924.
- Rev. Edgar Casey1926–1928
- Rev. Jose Casilles1928
- Rev. Anthony Rabago1928–1930
- Rev. Anthony Easing1930
First pastor under the Missionaries of the Holy Family, who assumed sponsorship in 1930.
- Rev. John Parr1930–1933
- Rev. Joseph Pelley1933–1937
- Rev. William Janning1937–1943
Returned for a second term 1958–1964.
- Rev. George Kreutler1943–1945
- Rev. Herman H. Berg1945–1958
- Rev. A. M. Hepp1964–1966
- Rev. Wenzel Lieb1966–1969
- Rev. John Fickinger1969 (two months)
- Rev. Anthony Easing1969–1972
Second term as pastor.
- Rev. Robert O'Hara1972–
Pastor as of the 1973–1974 parish history account.
- Very Rev. Lukose Thirunelliparambil
Current pastor, serving the parish in recent years (officiating funerals and parish life from at least 2004 onward).