The Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary will be celebrated with Masses on the following dates:

• Friday, August 14 – Vigil Mass at St. Leonard at 6:30 p.m.
• Saturday, August 15 – Mass at St. Elizabeth at 9:00 a.m.

Please note: Mass at St. Leonard on Wednesday, August 12, is canceled.

Everyone is invited to the annual Rural Life Celebration on Sunday, August 16, at the Moenkedick Family Farm (38153–431st Street, Perham). 

Mass begins at 1:30 p.m., followed by the Rural Life Awards, a fundraiser for the diocesan Rural Life Fund, refreshments, fellowship, and family-friendly activities. All are welcome!

Reminder: all parishioners should return raffle tickets and proceeds by August 23 to be eligible for the Early Bird Drawing. The Early Bird ticket seller will receive $100.

State law requires all unsold tickets to be returned to OLV as well. Please return all sold and unsold raffle tickets in time for the Fall Festival on Sunday, September 20.

Fall Festival Chairpersons: our next planning meeting is Tuesday, August 18 at 7 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. Please contact Mary Widiger at 218‑770‑2435 if unable to attend.

Sunday, August 23

• No 10:30 a.m. Mass at Our Lady of Victory
• No 8:30 a.m. Mass at St. Elizabeth

Instead, everyone is invited to the 10:00 a.m. Outdoor Mass at St. Elizabeth for the annual Pork Out celebration.

• 10:00 a.m. – Outdoor Mass
• Following Mass – Dinner and bazaar

We hope you'll join us!

• Collection doors are marked, and donated items may be brought in at any time.
• Raffle prizes can be turned in anytime.
• REMINDER: Please turn in raffle prize money. Checks are preferred. Thank you!
• The Country Store is looking for handmade, sellable items such as embroidered towels, washcloths, dish towels, and baby items.

Thank you for your support in making the Pork Out a success! We look forward to seeing you for Pork Out 2026 on August 23, 2026!

ATTENTION: Please bring all produce to the Hall by Friday, August 21, at 6:00 p.m. No Saturday morning drop-offs, please.

Please join us in celebrating Fr. Greg Paffel’s 25th Anniversary of Ordination on Sunday, August 23, at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Royalton. Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 AM, followed by lunch and activities. All are welcome to celebrate this special milestone of Fr. Greg’s priestly ministry.

Thursday, August 27 from 5:00-7:00 p.m. at Spies Pavilion in Fergus Falls. A fun evening of food, fellowship, and music! Open to the public, with a free-will donation.

Are you interested in learning more about the Catholic faith? OCIA (the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) is the process by which unbaptized and baptized adults of other faiths are fully initiated into the Catholic Church. 

This process is also for adults who are Catholic but have not yet received the Sacrament of Confirmation.

An informational meeting to learn more about OCIA will be held Monday, August 31 at 6:30 pm in the St. Joseph room at OLV. 

Please contact Jennifer Dummer at jennifer@ffolvchurch.org or 218-770-1594 with any questions.

Women of the Pelican Valley ACC (18+) are invited to join the 7th season of the OLV Mothers’ Endow Prayer Group beginning September 15.

This year’s study, Aquinas for Beginners (Part 2), explores the virtues and writings of St. Thomas Aquinas through prayer, discussion, and fellowship.

• Tuesdays, 9:30–11:30 a.m. (following the school calendar)
• OLV St. Joseph Room or via Zoom
• No homework or attendance requirements—come when you can! 

For more information or study materials, contact Heather Lindgren at olvmothersgroup@gmail.com.

The American Red Cross will host a Blood Drive at the Fergus Falls Community YMCA (1164 Friberg Ave):

• Sept. 9–10 — 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
• Sept. 11 — 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Every 2 seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood — your donation can help save lives.

Schedule an appointment at RedCrossBlood.org (enter Fergus Falls)  or call 1‑800‑RED CROSS.

Give blood Sept. 1–20 for a chance to receive exclusive Red Cross x Hello Kitty merch, while supplies last!

Needed for the Roast Beef Dinner on Oct. 21 at St. Leonard’s. Contact Julie Ann Holt at 218-731-4781 if you are interested.

Thanks to generous volunteer efforts and financial contributions, several improvements have been made at St. Otto’s Cemetery:

• The altar used for outdoor memorial services has been rebuilt.
• The cemetery gate has been repainted.
• A new lawn tractor has been purchased.

Special thanks to Mark Graff and Jerry Neuleib for their hard work, and to Pat Tuel for generously donating the cost of the gate repainting. These improvements help ensure that St. Otto’s Cemetery remains a beautiful and welcoming place for our loved ones.

Our feelings get hurt. Perhaps someone overstepped their boundaries, or did wrong unto us. We might hold that grudge, staying mad, and always rehearsing how we were wronged. Who really suffers when we stay mad at someone? We are the ones who suffer. Many times our offenders don’t even know the difference. That is where forgiveness comes into play.  Forgiveness frees us from issues that are far more damaging to our hearts and minds. How can we possibly forgive someone that has done so much wrong unto us? Once again Jesus did it, and if we bring it to Him in prayer, He will show us how to forgive.

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”  Ephesians 4:32

We are collecting clean Cool Whip containers and lids to use for Fall Festival leftovers.

Please label containers and place them in the kitchen at OLV. Thank you!

Join families across the nation in praying the Rosary together through Relevant Radio’s Family Rosary Across America.

This live, interactive Rosary is broadcast every evening at 7:00 PM CT and is a wonderful way to gather your family in prayer. 

Learn more and pray along at: relevantradio.com/family-rosary-across-america