About Our Lady of Victory · Sour Lake, Texas
Our Lady of Victory is a small Roman Catholic parish in Sour Lake, Texas, in the Diocese of Beaumont. The community worships in a peaceful, historic red-brick church building dedicated in 1926, and the parish describes itself as having a 'real family atmosphere' with daily Mass in addition to weekend Masses, faith formation for all ages, and a wide range of lay ministries. It is pastored by Father Polycarp Otieno, FMH, and is supported by a deacon, an Altar Society, Knights of Columbus council, Catholic Youth Ministry, choir, ushers, lectors, Eucharistic ministers, altar servers, and a Martha's Ministry that ministers to the homebound.
- Established
- 1903
- Patron
- Our Lady of Victory (Marian title commemorating the Blessed Virgin Mary's intercession at the Battle of Lepanto, October 7, 1571)
- Rector
- Father Polycarp Otieno, FMH
- Diocese
- Diocese of Beaumont
Why belong here
Our Lady of Victory is a small rural/suburban parish with a genuine family atmosphere, where daily Mass is offered alongside weekend Masses and the historic red-brick church is open every day for prayer and reflection. Parishioners of every age find a place to serve: Faith Formation/CCD and OCIA for those learning the faith, Catholic Youth Ministries for teens, Knights of Columbus for the men, Altar Society for the women, a Music Ministry and choir, Eucharistic Ministers, lectors, ushers, altar servers, and a Martha's Ministry that brings the Eucharist to the homebound. It is a place where everyone knows each other by name and where there are 'many opportunities for parishioners to get involved and enrich their faith life and the life of the parish.'
Mass times at Our Lady of Victory
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday: 10:30 – 10:50 am
- Wednesday: 5:30 – 5:50 pm (or by appointment)
Adoration times
- First Wednesday of the month, 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm (Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament)
About Our Lady of Victory Parish
Our Lady of Victory is a small rural/suburban Catholic parish in Sour Lake, Texas, in the Diocese of Beaumont. The parish community worships in a peaceful, beautiful, historic red-brick church that is open every day for prayer and reflection, and it is described by the parish itself as having a real family atmosphere with daily Mass in addition to weekend Masses. There are many opportunities for all ages to grow in Christ, with lots of classes and a broad range of lay ministries that allow parishioners to participate actively in the life of the Church.
- Diocese: Diocese of Beaumont
- Pastor: Father Polycarp Otieno, FMH
- Church building: red brick, dedicated 1926
- Parish office: 210 W Barkley Street, Sour Lake, TX 77659
Parish History
Catholic life in Sour Lake began as a mission of Immaculate Conception in Liberty, visited by priests who rode the train along Southeast Texas. In 1903 land was donated and the first church — St. Peter — was built and dedicated. After the oil boom swelled the population, a new red-brick church was constructed across the street and on February 28, 1926, Bishop Byrne dedicated it and renamed the parish Our Lady of Victory.
- 1901 — Sour Lake served as a mission of Immaculate Conception, Liberty (Father Michael Crowe)
- Local nickname: 'Saint Peter's Motor Chapel'
- 1903 — St. Peter Church built and dedicated
- Early 1900s — Sour Lake oil boom
- 1916 — grant received for a new church across the street
- First resident pastor: Father Martin Collins (faced KKK threats)
- February 28, 1926 — Bishop Byrne dedicated the red-brick church and renamed it Our Lady of Victory
Faith Formation and OCIA
Religious education for children is offered through Faith Formation / CCD classes, and adults preparing to enter the Church (or seeking full communion) are accompanied through the OCIA process — the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults. Both are coordinated by Amanda Schuster, who also directs Church Decorating. A Vacation Bible School program and a special Graduation Mass each year round out formation offerings.
- Faith Formation / CCD for children
- OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) — Amanda Schuster
- Vacation Bible School (VBS)
- Graduation Mass
Youth and Evangelization
Catholic Youth Ministries (CYM) at Our Lady of Victory is led by Taylor Fogo, who also serves on the parish's Evangelization and Vocations Committees. CYM gives the parish's young people a place to grow in friendship with Christ and to take their place in parish life.
- Catholic Youth Ministries (CYM) — Director: Taylor Fogo
- Evangelization Committee — Taylor Fogo
- Vocations Committee — Taylor Fogo
Liturgical Ministries
Parishioners serve at the altar in many ways. Specially trained Eucharistic Ministers distribute Holy Communion under both species at Mass and bring Communion to homebound parishioners by request. Lectors proclaim the readings, ushers assist the assembly before, during, and after Mass, and altar servers assist the priest with various duties during Mass and other services. A monthly schedule is emailed to those signed up for ministry duties.
- Eucharistic Ministry — Joseph Volpita
- Lectors — Glenn Durst, Stacy Earley
- Ushers — Paul Zappi
- Altar Servers — Paula Zappi
Music Ministry
The parish Music Ministry, led by Garry LeBlanc, supports the singing at weekend and weekday Masses. As a small parish, the choir is a close-knit group that welcomes new voices.
- Music Ministry / Choir — Garry LeBlanc
Parish Organizations and Outreach
Our Lady of Victory is supported by a robust network of lay organizations. The Altar Society cares for the sanctuary and church environment; the Knights of Columbus bring the men of the parish together in faith and service; Martha's Ministry brings the Eucharist and pastoral care to the homebound; and committees handle Finance, Fundraising, Maintenance, and Safety.
- Altar Society
- Knights of Columbus — Grand Knight: Donald Mull
- Martha's Ministry (homebound care)
- Parish Council — Chair: Norma Mull
- Finance & Counting — Jody Aiena
- Fundraising Committee — Mary Durst
- Maintenance Committee — Steve Sovereign
- Safety Committee
Clergy and Staff
The parish is led by Father Polycarp Otieno, FMH, who also serves Our Lady of Sorrows in China, TX, supported by a deacon and a team of lay staff and ministry leaders. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.
- Pastor: Father Polycarp Otieno, FMH
- Deacon (unnamed on website)
- DRE / OCIA / Church Decorating: Amanda Schuster
- CYM / Evangelization / Vocations: Taylor Fogo
- Music: Garry LeBlanc
- Administrative Assistant (listed on site)
Visit, Contact, and Connect
Visitors and parishioners can reach the parish office by phone, email, or in person during office hours. The church itself is open every day for prayer and reflection. Up-to-date announcements, extra Mass schedules, and parish news are posted on the parish website and its official Facebook page.
- Address: 210 W Barkley Street, Sour Lake, TX 77659
- Phone: (409) 287-3287 · Fax: 409-287-3271
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Mon–Fri, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
- Website: olovcatholic.com
- Facebook: Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church (Sour Lake TX)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Michael Crowefrom 1901
Pastor of Immaculate Conception, Liberty; served the Sour Lake mission, celebrated Mass from his vehicle — nicknamed 'Saint Peter's Motor Chapel.'
- Father Martin Collinsearly 1920s–1926
First resident pastor of Sour Lake; pressed forward with construction of the new red-brick church despite threats from the local Ku Klux Klan.
- Father Polycarp Otieno, FMHpresent
Current pastor; oversees ministries, OCIA, CCD, Altar Society, Knights of Columbus, and Catholic Youth Ministries.