Welcome to Our Lady of Victory

Welcome visitors and parishioners for our annual Parish Festival…turkey dinner, raffle and lots of fun and  fellowship! One of the important marks of authentic, Christian faith is joy. Joy comes from harmonious  relationships with God and other people. Yes, the  seriousness and the heaviness of the Cross is also a part of our faith….as the Gospel reminds us today….and as we carry the weight of victims of abuse and our Church scandals with us in our prayer and work for    healing and justice these days.  The purpose of carrying our cross though is to come to the day of glory through Christ’s  resurrection.   May our festival be a time of peace and friendship, of hospitality and service…..a time that lifts our spirits to bring forth healing, hope and joy. Many thanks to Tony Heck and every single   parishioner and visitor for all the generosity of time, talent and   treasure that contributes to a successful festival!

As we celebrate our parish festival, let us offer in  gratitude this Prayer for the Harvests:

Creator of heaven and earth

who adorns the heaven with the choir of stars

and illuminates it with sparking points of light,

who loads the earth with fruits

for the use of all;

in your kindness, you grant

to the human race you created

to rejoice in the brilliance and clarity of the stars

and to be nourished on the fruits of the earth.

We thank you for giving us

most abundant and fertilizing rains;

the earth that produces fruits

in great plenty,

because of your love for humanity

and because of your good will.

Be mindful of those who call on you.

Honor your holy, catholic Church,

hear our prayers and supplications,

and bless the whole earth

through your only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ.

Through him, glory to you and power,

in the Holy Spirit,

now and forever and ever.

Amen.

adapted from

Serapion, Bishop of Thmuis,

Euchology, Fourth Century