About us

We are a Catholic church located at the corner of Osborne and Arnold in Winnipeg’s Riverview neighbourhood. We are a part of the Archdiocese of Winnipeg. Fr. Emmanuel Efoe Anani is our priest and Bishop Richard Gagnon is our bishop.

History

The beginning of our church is an interesting one. Below is a section taken from "The Golden Jubilee of Our Lady of Victory Memorial Parish" book that was created in 1996 when we celebrated our 50th anniversary as a parish. This was written by Helen Dennehy.

The Early Days

Prior to Our Lady of Victory Memorial Parish being established, Mass was celebrated in St. Mary's Cemetery Chapel by Father Borelli of Holy Rosary Parish although not on a yearly basis.

One Sunday morning, summer of 1945, Father J.K. MacIsaac appeared at the Chapel to say Mass. He had not, as yet, been discharged from the army and was wearing the uniform of a Lieutenant-Colonel. Father was the head of Chaplin of the Canadian Armed Forces in Italy. We were delighted to see him back in Canada. Father MacIsaac was well known in Winnipeg. He had taught school at the old St. Paul's College located on Selkirk Avenue and he taught religion at St. Mary's Academy. He had also been the Editor of the Northwest Review, a Catholic paper.

Father told us at that first Mass that he had been assigned by the Archbishop to build a church on Osborne Street where he would be the Pastor. The church was to be named Our Lady of Victory Memorial Church to honour the war dead.

Father's first order of the day was to locate a more appropriate place to celebrate Mass than the tiny, unheated Cemetery Chapel. Father spoke to Mr. Bessler, owner and operator of the Park Theatre close by, and arranged for Sunday Mass to take place in the theatre building. Part of the agreement was that a parishioner be named to sweep the teacher of the Saturday night trash. Although this was pre-popcorn days there were still candy bar and gum wrappers, etc.

At our first Mass in the Park Theatre 27 people were present. Some names remembered are the Navens, Beaubiens, Sheehans, Jobins, Dennehys and the Pauls. We had a small portable organ which Mrs. Naven played. Mrs. Beaubien started a choir and choir practice was held in each other's homes. 

Mass attendance at the theatre grew each Sunday as more and more parishioners joined our ranks, probably the majority leaving St. Ignatius, - the mother parish. At this time there were about six Catholic families living across the Red River in St. Vital on Kingston Crescent and Kingston Row. These families, although close to Our Lady of Victory, belong to Holy Cross Parish in Norwood, in the Diocese of St. Boniface. Parish boundaries were quite rigid then. None of these residents attended Holy Cross Parish, so Father MacIsaac went to the St. Boniface Diocese and requested and received permission for these families to belong to Our Lady of Victory, - the Jobins, Dandenaults, Molgats, Clancys, Dennehys, and Couglins.

Father purchased a second lot east of Mr. Higgin's house and build his rectory there on the north side of Arnold with his army credits. After residing at that location for a year or two Father had his rectory moved across Arnold to the south side, adjacent to the lane where it stands today. When the rectory was built all parish meetings, including choir practice, were held there, being our only parish building. Eventually, Father was able to purchase Mr. Higgin's house, had it razed and with his rectory moved, he had considerably more land.

The theatre was used for Mass for a few years until the parish was on a more substantial financial footing and had sufficient funds to proceed with the church foundation and basement construction. When this was eventually accomplished it was an exciting and wonderful feeling to have our very own basement. This, then, was the beginning of Our Lady of Victory Memorial Parish for Mass and for all other religious services. Prayers were said following every Mass for those who died in battle, as well as special prayer to Our Lady of Victory.

The Ursuline Sisters of Bruxelles, Manitoba, wished to establish a convent in Winnipeg, to be closer to educational facilities so that some of their younger Sisters could attend classes and further their education. The Sisters generously offered to teach at O.L.V. We were very fortunate to have the Ursuline’s locate in our new parish, and because of their offer to teach, Father MacIsaac was able to establish a school, which initially had the first three grades.

Therefore, as well as using our basement for religious services, it was also used as a school. Following the last Mass on Sundays, all the metal chairs (we had no pews) had to be folded and carried to a storage area, the movable walls put in place, separating the classrooms and the classrooms set up with the children’s desks and chairs. Then on the following Saturday this performance was reversed to set up for Sunday Mass, - a lot of work and some faithful few did this every week.

The Sisters built, at their own expense, their convent on the north side of Arnold adjacent to the lane. The Parishioners of OLV owe the Ursuline Sisters a deep debt of gratitude for their many years of devoted service, willingly performed, and the major role they played in the establishment of the school and the parish.

During the Park Theatre days, St. Paul’s College, then located north of Ellice Avenue, near Isabel, had been approached by Father MacIsaac who asked if our new parish might be able to use St. Paul’s Auditorium and kitchen facilities to hold a bazaar, -a fund raiser for our church. Permission was granted and the bazaar was held Thursday night, Friday night, and Saturday from noon until midnight. Our parishioners were very enthusiastic and hard working. There was also a great spirit of camaraderie. Everyone wanted the bazaar to be success and it was. A second bazaar was held the following year at St. Paul’s, - also a 3 day event and very successful. When we were established in our own church basement it was decided to hold our bazaar there. Space was available, but the kitchen was less than perfect, - no stove, no refrigerator, no hot plates, and very little else. However, we had six or so electric kettles and must have decided to plug them all in at once because we blew everything in the basement. Pandemonium reigned as all the lights went out and everyone hollered. A very clever person got us straightened around and we were more cautious as a result.