Our Lady of Victory Catholic Parish sits on North Division Street in northwest Davenport, Iowa, where a hexagonal sanctuary of faceted stained glass rises next to John F. Kennedy Catholic School. Founded in the early 1960s as the city grew outward and still served by the Diocese of Davenport, the parish gathers a steady flow of weekday and weekend Masses alongside one of the larger Catholic elementary schools in the Quad Cities. Generations of families have shaped the parish through its stained-glass windows, its remodeled worship space, its service organizations, and a busy calendar of faith formation, music, and youth events.
A Hexagonal Church on Division Street
The story of Our Lady of Victory begins with population growth. In the early 1960s, Bishop Ralph L. Hayes announced plans for a new parish to serve the families moving into northwest Davenport. A pastoral committee made up of Tom Feeney, Leo A. Kerrigan, and Thomas V. Lawlor selected a site. A benefactor, Martin J. Gadient, had left nine acres on Hayes Street for a church to bear this name, but the committee judged the property too far south and instead closed on ten acres of the Andrew F. Miller farm on Division Street on July 1, 1961.
Initial planning for the church began in 1967 under building committee chair Joe Kastner, with parishioners signing pledge cards to bring Sunday collections to $1,000 toward the $600,000 project. By 1968 the parish had grown to 750 families, and a groundbreaking ceremony followed the retirement of the school debt that December.
The resulting building is a contemporary hexagonal structure, designed around what was then called the New Liturgy of the Church. Six large faceted stained-glass windows by Chicago artist John E. Bera surround the sanctuary. The altar window depicts the Risen Christ in living color, while the entrance window shows Mary, patron of the parish. The four large side windows illustrate the parables of the Good Shepherd, the Good Samaritan, the Prodigal Son, and the Sower.
Twenty-eight years later, a volunteer committee organized in March 1998 raised $210,000 for a thorough remodeling. During a heavy snowfall in January 1999, volunteers pulled out the old pews and carpet. After weeks of wiring, painting, cleaning, and grouting, the first Masses in the renovated space - ceramic tile floor, carpeted altar, solid oak pews - were celebrated the weekend of February 13 to 14, 1999, in time for the parish Jubilee.
On Sunday, December 18, 2011, Bishop Martin Amos presided over the dedication of a new gathering space, blessing the doors, the baptismal font, and newly constructed school spaces. The relocated Marian window now anchors the gathering area.
Mass Times and Reconciliation
Mass is celebrated throughout the week at Our Lady of Victory. The Saturday vigil Mass at 4:30 pm is livestreamed and recorded on the parish YouTube channel, with the link shared each week. Sunday Masses follow at 7:00 am, 9:00 am, and 11:00 am. Weekday Masses are at 7:00 am Monday through Friday and 8:00 am on Saturday.
Reconciliation is offered on Thursday evenings from 5:00 to 7:00 pm, on Saturday after the 8:00 am Mass, and again from 3:00 to 4:10 pm. Communal celebrations of the sacrament are scheduled during Advent and Lent. Other times are available by appointment with a priest.
Two regular opportunities for adoration round out the prayer calendar. On the first Friday of each month, Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament begins after the 7:00 am Mass and continues into the late afternoon. Every Thursday evening at 7:00 pm, a deacon or priest leads Holy Hour with Benediction, the rosary, and evening prayer. All are welcome.
The Seven Sacraments
The parish walks members through the sacraments from cradle to grave.
Infant baptism is generally celebrated after the 11:00 am Sunday Mass and during the weekend liturgies on the first Sunday of the month. Parents attend a baptism preparation session at 7:00 pm on the third Monday of the month, with pre-registration required. A standard stipend of $25 is suggested. Adult baptisms take place annually at the Easter Vigil.
First Confession is celebrated in the winter and First Communion in the spring, with two years of catechetical preparation beginning in first grade. Children in the second grade spend most of the year preparing for these sacraments through Faith Formation and JFK Catholic School.
Confirmation is celebrated in eighth grade after a two-year preparation that includes service, spiritual activities, and catechetical formation. The Bishop of the Diocese of Davenport administers the sacrament at a spring Mass. Baptized adults preparing through OCIA are confirmed at the Easter Vigil.
Engaged couples contact the parish office at least six months before the desired wedding date, with at least one party a registered, participating parishioner. Preparation includes instruction on the theology of marriage, assistance with the liturgy, and discussion using the FOCCUS inventory. Couples choose between working with a sponsor couple from the parish over five sessions or attending an Engaged Encounter weekend offered by the Diocese of Davenport.
Anointing of the Sick is offered communally during the spring and fall at weekend Masses, and individually before surgery or in other moments of need by arrangement with a priest.
When a parishioner dies, the pastor meets with the family to plan services. The Resurrection Choir and a funeral luncheon committee serve each funeral. The evening before, a priest or deacon typically leads a Vigil. Parishioners supply salads, vegetables, and desserts, while volunteers order and pick up the meat, cheese, bread, and drinks. Leftovers are packed for the family to take home.
JFK Catholic School on the Parish Campus
Sharing the parish grounds is John F. Kennedy Catholic School, a K-8 school at 1627 W. 42nd Street, just across the parish campus. The school shares faith formation faculty with the parish and uses parish facilities for catechetical classes.
The school runs an Early Childhood Learning Center and an After Care Program for families needing extended hours. Technology is part of daily learning, with students using Google Workspace for Education, the Clever student portal, Dash and Dot robots, Microbit coding, and the Fastbridge assessment system. Parents track grades through PowerSchool. Beyond the classroom, students join band, scouts, athletics, and activities that draw on the parish gym and athletic fields.
The school is supported by the parish's Home and School organization, Band Boosters, and a Scott County Catholic School Advisory Board. Tuition assistance is available through the Mississippi Valley Student Tuition Organization and the Embracing Our Future capital campaign, both of which serve Scott County K-12 Catholic schools.
Faith Formation from Kindergarten Through Adults
The parish's religious education program, called Generations of Faith, runs K-8 classes on Wednesday evenings at 6:00 pm in JFK Catholic School from September through May. Registration for the 2026-2027 year is open, with fees of $75 for one child or $100 for two or more. First-grade catechesis begins the formal two-year track that culminates in First Reconciliation and First Communion in second grade.
High school youth ministry, with the theme "Empowering Hearts, Igniting Faith," gathers teens on Wednesday nights, with the Mass After Dark events, retreats, and mission trips rounding out the calendar. The youth ministry attends the biennial National Catholic Youth Conference, organized by the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry, and also travels to the Holy Fire Chicago Conference and Steubenville conferences.
Adults find their own pathway through the Dream Team, a special-needs Bible study that meets from 6:00 to 7:30 pm on the third Monday of each month in the OLV Parish Center, and through CEW (Christian Experience Weekend), an annual 48-hour retreat held on the parish campus. Women's Weekend and Men's Weekend are scheduled in the winter months with talks, discussions, prayer services, Masses, and meals. A team of lay people and two spiritual directors lead the weekend, with a $40 fee covering materials and all meals.
The Sweetheart Dinner and the Young Adult Ministry provide additional gathering points for parishioners in different seasons of life.
Becoming Catholic and Joining the Parish
Adults interested in the Catholic faith enter the parish through the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults. OCIA at Our Lady of Victory is led by the pastoral staff and a team of volunteer parishioners. Inquiry sessions run for six Sunday mornings after the 9:00 am Mass, followed by the Rite of Acceptance, the Catechumenate, the Rite of Election, the Lenten period of Enlightenment, and finally the sacraments of initiation at the Easter Vigil. Sessions continue weekly through Pentecost Sunday in a stage called Mystagogy. There is no fee.
Newcomers can register by stopping at the parish office, picking up a form at the main entrance of church, or downloading a fillable PDF. Registration adds a household to the parish mailing roster, opens up monthly envelope mailings, and (when space allows) prints new names in the parish bulletin. The OLV Newsletter is mailed quarterly.
Parish office hours are 8:00 am to 4:00 pm Monday through Friday, with the office on the first floor of the east end of the rectory. The Faith Formation Office, on the upper level at the north end of the school, is open from 7:30 am to 3:00 pm on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, until 8:00 pm on Wednesday, and from 7:30 am to noon on Friday, or by appointment. An emergency line (563-293-1177) is available for sick calls.
Music and the Liturgical Ministries
Music is woven through every weekend Mass. The Adult Choir sings at the 9:00 am Sunday Mass from September through May, with rehearsals on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 pm. The Cantor/Songleader leads the assembly in song, while the Contemporary Music Group supports the 11:00 am Mass with more recent styles - a particular draw for young adult and teen singers and instrumentalists. The Resurrection Choir sings for funerals, with no scheduled rehearsals.
Liturgical ministries extend from the altar to the doorway. Altar Servers, open to girls and boys in fourth grade and above, assist at Sunday and Holy Day Masses. Lectors proclaim the first two readings and lead the prayers of the faithful. Ministers of the Eucharist distribute Holy Communion at Mass, and a separate group brings Communion to homebound parishioners. Greeters and ushers create a climate of warmth at every liturgy and assist those with special needs. Gift Bearers present the bread and wine during the preparation of the gifts. Families often serve together.
For children, the Youth Hospitality program invites students in second grade through high school to pick up an assignment tag on arrival at Mass and help with greeting, gift bearing, bulletin distribution, or tidying pews. No advance sign-up is required.
Health Ministry, the Food Pantry, and Outreach
The parish takes its social mission seriously through a network of service committees. The Health Ministry Team, which includes the Parish Nurse and several Health Advocates, fields questions about medical topics, presents health information, helps parishioners access community services, and prays with those in need. Blood pressure screenings are offered on the first Sunday of each month after every Mass in the Wellness Room. The team cannot provide hands-on medical treatment, but all contacts are confidential.
Pantry Sunday falls on the third Sunday of each month. The Christian Service Committee publishes a list of needed items - cereal, canned meats, peanut butter, canned fruit, shelf-stable meals, pasta and sauce - and parishioners bring the goods to the back of church. A Free Little Food Pantry, operational since February 2022, sits in the entrance of the church for anyone who needs it. Coffee, dog treats, and baking mixes are also stocked.
The Prayer Shawl Ministry combines knitting and crochet with prayer. Shawls, lap blankets, and mantels are blessed and presented to those undergoing medical procedures, recovering from illness, grieving a loss, or in other moments of need. Knitters and crocheters meet on the second Saturday of the month from 9:00 to 11:00 am in the Gathering Space Meeting Room, with beginners warmly welcomed.
The Social Justice Committee hosts the Food Fellowship and Fun gathering for the over-55 crowd, the Adults with Disabilities Retreat, and ongoing support for men and women serving in the military. Each year around Mother's Day, the parish distributes roses and accepts donations for Birthright. An annual blood drive typically takes place in the spring.
Youth mission work has included trips with The Catholic Worker, Rebuilding Together Quad Cities, and Habitat for Humanity, with projects ranging from rebuilding porches and staircases to planting gardens and constructing decks.
Stewardship and the Victory Voucher Program
Stewardship at Our Lady of Victory centers on the time, talent, and treasure of each parishioner. The Stewardship Committee meets on the second Monday of each month at 7:00 pm in the Gathering Space Meeting Room, and the parish publishes a separate Handbook of Ministries describing every opportunity to serve.
The Victory Voucher program, launched in 1999, is the parish's signature scrip fundraiser. Gift cards and certificates are purchased at a discount by the parish and resold at face value, with the difference returned to the parish. Half of the profits from each card can be directed to JFK tuition and fees, Assumption High School tuition and fees, Faith Formation tuition, the Youth Ministry program, the OLV Foundation, or the OLV Building Fund; the remaining half supports the parish's general operating budget. The Victory Voucher store is open on Saturday from 4:00 to 4:30 pm and Sunday from 7:30 to 11:00 am in the church gathering space, and on weekdays from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm at the parish office. Online ordering through shopwithscrip.com is now available.
A Children's Offertory encourages young parishioners to place their own gifts in the basket each week, with proceeds helping to sponsor Jaemelyn Yabut, a child in the Philippines, with nutrition, medical care, and education.
The OLV Foundation and Parish Leadership
The Our Lady of Victory Foundation was incorporated on December 11, 1989, as a separate 501(c)(3) entity. Its endowment grew to more than $1.7 million by 2024, enabling an $85,000 distribution to the parish and school in July 2025. The Foundation accepts one-time and recurring gifts, planned giving through wills and insurance policies, memorial and honor gifts, and rebates from Victory Voucher purchases. Six funds are available: the General Parish Education Fund, the JFK Catholic School Staff Fund, the JFK Catholic School Scholarship Fund, the JFK Catholic School Facility Fund, the Our Lady of Victory Facility Fund, and the OLV Unspecified Fund. The Legacy Club and the 300 Club offer additional ways to support the parish's long-term mission.
The parish is led by Fr. Patrick Hilgendorf, who became the parish's sixth pastor on July 1, 2023. A Clinton native, he graduated from Mount St. Clare College, St. Ambrose University, and Kenrick-Glennon Seminary, and was ordained May 17, 1997. He is assisted by Parochial Vicar Fr. Manu John and Deacons Marc Mosse, John Wagner, and Al Boboth. The Parish Council, made up of nine elected members, two lay directors, and the pastor, meets on the fourth Tuesday of the month at 7:00 pm in the Gathering Space meeting room and is open to all parishioners eighteen and older.
The Ladies Council, organized into four circles - Communion of Saints Prayer Circle, Queen of Heaven Circle, Saint Elizabeth Seton Circle, and Saint Anne Circle - leads the annual bazaar each November, supports funeral luncheons, runs the rummage sale, prepares Salvation Army meals, and provides hands-on service to the parish.
The parish's vision is to become the most welcoming faith community in the Diocese of Davenport. Its mission statement sums up its work: "Our Lady of Victory is a community that lives and shares the preaching, teaching and healing of Christ."