Our Lady of Victory Cathedral (Victoria, Texas) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cathedral of Our Lady of Victory |
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 Location in Texas
Location in the United States
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| 28°49′27″N 96°59′31″W / 28.8243°N 96.9919°W | |
| Location | 1309 Mesquite Lane Victoria, Texas |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic Church |
| Website | www.olvcathedral.org |
| History | |
| Status | Cathedral/Parish church |
| Founded | 1958 |
| Dedication | Our Lady of Victory |
| Architecture | |
| Style | Modern |
| Completed | 1958 |
| Specifications | |
| Number of spires | One |
| Materials | Brick |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Victoria in Texas |
The Cathedral of Our Lady of Victory is a special Catholic church. It is located in Victoria, Texas, in the United States. This church is important because it is the main church for the Diocese of Victoria in Texas. It serves as both a cathedral and a local parish church.
Contents
History of the Cathedral
Our Lady of Victory Parish started in 1956. The families of Thomas O'Connor Sr. and Martin O'Connor gave 20 acres of land. This land was for a new Catholic church. Tom O'Connor Jr. donated over $600,000. He wanted to build this church to honor his wife, "Junie" Broussard O'Connor.
Building the Church
The Cathedral of Our Lady of Victory was built with his gift. Other Catholics in the area also donated money. Mrs. O'Connor's memory is honored in the church's cornerstone. This is a special stone laid at the start of construction.
The cornerstone was placed on April 7, 1957. Archbishop Robert E. Lucey from San Antonio laid it. The church was officially dedicated on November 4, 1958.
Our Lady of Victory School
Our Lady of Victory Catholic School opened in September 1957. The school teaches students from 3k (preschool) up to 8th grade. In 2022, the school celebrated its 65th birthday.
First Leaders
Msgr. Frederick O'Beck helped plan the church and school buildings. He was the pastor at St. Mary's in Victoria. Rev. Henry Rolf became the first pastor of Our Lady of Victory. He started on July 12, 1958. The parish officially began the next day.
Becoming a Cathedral
Pope John Paul II created the Diocese of Victoria in Texas. This happened on April 13, 1982. At that time, Our Lady of Victory became the main church, or cathedral, for the new diocese.
New Parish Center
In 2009, the church bought the old Town Plaza Mall. It was right next to the church property. The former J.C. Penney store was changed into the Cathedral Center. This new center has a large hall and meeting rooms. People use it for parties, meetings, and church programs.
Rawley McCoy & Associates, an architectural firm from Victoria, designed the project. The work was finished in 2017. The rest of the mall was sold to the University of Houston–Victoria that same year. A driveway and green space now separate the church property from the university.
Hurricane Harvey Damage and Repairs
In 2017, Hurricane Harvey caused water damage to the cathedral. The roof and wooden beams needed repairs. In the summer of 2019, the cathedral closed for more work inside. This was also because of the hurricane damage.
Workers had to remove murals near the ceiling. These beautiful paintings were then re-created on new panels. Other projects included fixing the church pews. They also cleaned and restored the statues. Mold was removed from the walls, and the interior wood was repaired. The walls were repainted, making sure the original art looked just right.
See also
In Spanish: Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Victoria (Victoria) para niños
Images for kids
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View from the organ tribune to the choir
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View to the nave
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Detail of the altar's mosaics
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The Sacred Heart chapel
