About Our Lady of Victory · Washington, District of Columbia
Our Lady of Victory is a Roman Catholic parish in the upper Northwest quadrant of Washington, D.C., situated on MacArthur Boulevard NW in the Palisades/Georgetown Reservoir area. Canonically established in 1910 and traceable to a small mission chapel begun in 1906, the parish belongs to the Archdiocese of Washington and serves a notably diverse community that today includes English-, Croatian-, and Filipino (Tagalog)-speaking Catholics. In addition to its Sunday and weekday Mass schedule, the parish operates an award-winning parish school (PK3–8), runs OCIA (formerly RCIA), Eucharistic Adoration, and a long list of lay ministries, and is shepherded by a pastoral team of priests in residence under Pastor Reverend Andrew B. Gonzalo.
- Established
- 1906
- Patron
- Our Lady of Victory (associated with Our Lady of the Rosary, October 7)
- Rector
- Reverend Andrew B. Gonzalo
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Washington
Why belong here
Our Lady of Victory is a century-old parish with deep roots in upper Northwest Washington and the gifts of a notably diverse, multilingual community. Worshippers find a rich sacramental life — Sunday Mass in English with twice-monthly Croatian and monthly Tagalog celebrations, two daily Masses, Wednesday Adoration and Benediction, and Saturday confessions — alongside a thriving parish school recognized as a three-time National Blue Ribbon School. Members serve through dozens of ministries (OCIA, St. Vincent de Paul, Knights of Columbus, lectors, eucharistic ministers, choir, youth group, hospitality, and outreach to SOME, Meals on Wheels, Grand Oaks, Covenant House, and Centro Tepeyac), making it a parish where belonging quickly becomes service.
Mass times at Our Lady of Victory
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM (during Eucharistic Adoration)
- Saturday 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Wednesday 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM (Adoration in front of the Blessed Sacrament, followed by Benediction)
- Eucharistic Adoration Chapel available at all times — visit the parish office for the code
History of Our Lady of Victory
Our Lady of Victory's first Mass was celebrated on October 7, 1906, at the home of Nicholas Lochboeler by Father Malachy F. Yingling, who became the founding pastor two months later. The community grew from a dozen families along Conduit Road between the Georgetown Reservoir and Glen Echo into a thriving parish whose cornerstone was laid by Cardinal James Gibbons on September 19, 1909. Surviving a devastating 1922 fire, an aggressive mid-century building program under Monsignor Carl Hess, the changes of Vatican II, and the recent shortage of clergy, the parish today is a diverse, multilingual community serving upper Northwest Washington from its perch on 'Mount Victory.'
- 1906 — First Mass at Lochboeler home; Father Malachy F. Yingling named first pastor
- 1906 — Mission chapel 'Little Flower' established at Glen Echo (independent parish 1948)
- 1906 — First baptism (George Bogginger, Nov. 19) and first wedding (Sherier/Vaughn, April 20, 1907)
- 1909 — Cardinal Gibbons lays cornerstone for stone church
- 1910 — Parish canonically established
- 1922 — Devastating fire; Blessed Sacrament preserved; rebuilt debt-free
- 1934 — Boundaries extended to Foxhall Village; new rectory in 1936
- 1954–1957 — School, convent, and church expansion under Monsignor Hess
- 1957 — New 70-ft western tower, transept, statue of Our Lady of Victory
- 1996 — 90th anniversary Mass with Cardinal James Hickey
- 1999 — Major church renovation
Clergy, Deacons, and Parish Staff
Our Lady of Victory is currently shepherded by Pastor Reverend Andrew B. Gonzalo, with several priests in residence. The parish has historically relied on permanent deacons (notably Edward Redding and later Leo Flynn) and on priests in residence to fill the gap left by a dwindling number of associate pastors. The Director of Religious Education is Dr. Sean Phillips; the parish secretary is Johanna Robinson; and longtime choir director Dr. John Warman is a mainstay of parish liturgy.
- Pastor: Rev. Andrew B. Gonzalo
- In Residence: Rev. Leo D. Lefebure
- In Residence: Fr. Mario Catungal, OCD
- In Residence: Fr. Dave, Fr. Marlee (mentioned in pastor's Easter message)
- Croatian Mass contact: Fr. Maurus, 202-550-1068
- Director of Religious Education: Dr. Sean Phillips
- Parish Secretary: Johanna Robinson
- Choir Director: Dr. John Warman
Faith Formation and OCIA
Our Lady of Victory runs religious education for children and the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA, formerly RCIA) for adults seeking baptism, confirmation, or full communion with the Catholic Church. The OCIA process walks inquirers through seeking, inquiry, catechumenate, the Rite of Election, the Easter Vigil, and mystagogy through Pentecost, with Sean Phillips as the parish contact.
- Director of Religious Education: Dr. Sean Phillips
- OCIA for the unbaptized, baptized Christians, and uncatechized Catholics
- Inquiry period late September through November
- Catechumenate December through May
- Rite of Election in early Lent with Cardinal Wilton Gregory
- Sacraments of Initiation received at the Easter Vigil
Our Lady of Victory School
The parish school, located on MacArthur Boulevard next to the church, serves students in PK3 through 8th grade. Founded in 1955 under the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur (Cleveland), it has grown into an academically distinguished Catholic school and a three-time National Blue Ribbon School (2007, 2016, 2023), with a 12:1 student-teacher ratio, 100% Catholic high school acceptance rate, and seven Archdiocese of Washington Teacher of the Year honorees on its faculty.
- PK3 through 8th grade
- 224 students
- 12:1 student-teacher ratio; average class size 19
- Three-time National Blue Ribbon School (2007, 2016, 2023)
- 100% Catholic high school acceptance
- 1:1 student-to-technology ratio
- Originally staffed by Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur from Cleveland
Parish Ministries and Outreach
OLV offers a wide range of lay ministries for service and worship, from liturgical roles like lectors, eucharistic ministers, and altar servers, to fellowship groups like the Hospitality/Coffee Committee, to faith formation (Bible Study, OCIA) and outreach to the wider D.C. community through the St. Vincent de Paul Society, Knights of Columbus, and partnerships with SOME, Meals on Wheels, Grand Oaks assisted living, Covenant House, and Centro Tepeyac Pregnancy Center. The OLV Youth Group runs the annual Cup O'Joe Lenten service project, packing 350 breakfasts for Catholic Charities shelters.
- Liturgical: Lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, Altar Servers, Cantor/Choir
- Formation: Bible Study, OCIA, Religious Education
- Service: St. Vincent de Paul Society, Knights of Columbus, Social Concerns Committee
- Fellowship: Hospitality/Coffee Committee, Ushers/Greeters, CYO Sports
- Youth: OLV Youth Group (Cup O'Joe Lenten service project)
- Outreach partners: SOME, Meals on Wheels, Grand Oaks, Covenant House, Centro Tepeyac
Anointing of the Sick and Pastoral Care
Anointing of the Sick is available to anyone facing serious illness, advanced age, surgery, or treatment — not only those at the point of death. Parishioners are encouraged to call Fr. Andy to arrange the sacrament, and homebound members can request Communion visits and weekly bulletin delivery through the parish office.
- Call Fr. Andy at 202-337-4835 to arrange
- Available for the elderly, sick, pre-surgical, and homebound
- Homebound Communion visits arranged through Johanna
- Weekly bulletin mailed to homebound parishioners on request
Visiting Our Lady of Victory
Our Lady of Victory is located at 4835 MacArthur Boulevard NW, Washington, DC 20007, in the Palisades area near the Georgetown Reservoir. The parish grounds are wheelchair accessible (per the Archdiocese of Washington listing) and include Hess-Honda Auditorium, used for Sunday hospitality and parish events. Driving directions from the Beltway run via Canal Road and Arizona Avenue to MacArthur Boulevard.
- Address: 4835 MacArthur Boulevard NW, Washington, DC 20007
- Phone: 202-337-4835
- Fax: 202-338-4759
- Wheelchair accessible
- Hess-Honda Auditorium hosts Sunday hospitality after the 10:30 AM Mass
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Malachy F. Yingling1906–1931
Founding pastor; celebrated first Mass on October 7, 1906; built the original stone church and the parish hall on 'Mount Victory'; retired 1931.
- Father Andrew H. Mihm1931–1933
Succeeded Father Yingling.
- Father William Humphries1933–1934
Succeeded Father Mihm.
- Father Louis Vaeth1934–1945
Served during the Great Depression; parish boundaries extended to take in Foxhall Village in 1934; new rectory built 1936; staff grew to pastor plus two associates.
- Monsignor Carl Hess1945–1968
Twenty-three year pastor; broke ground for the school (1954), launched 1957 church renovation with new 70-foot tower, increased seating from 208 to 518; died April 15, 1978.
- Bishop Edward Herrmann1968–1973
Previously associate pastor; later Auxiliary Bishop of Washington and Bishop of Columbus, Ohio.
- Msgr. Ralph Kuehner1973–1983
- Msgr. John Benson1983–1991
- Father William Foley1991–2002
Celebrated the parish's 90th anniversary Mass with Cardinal James Hickey on October 30, 1996; led 1999 church renovation.
- Father Paul Lee2002–2006
Succeeded Father Foley.
- Father Milton Jordan2006–2008
Stepped down for health reasons in June 2008; under his pastorate a Croatian community continued and Eucharistic Adoration began in a reserved oratory.
- Father David Werning2008–
Had served OLV as a seminarian a decade earlier and celebrated his first Mass here on May 31, 1998.
- Reverend Andrew B. Gonzalo
Current pastor (as listed by the Archdiocese of Washington and the parish website).