Our Lady of Victory, Dolores

Address: 101 N. 7th Street, Dolores, CO 81323
Mailing Address: 28 Montezuma Ave.,Cortez, CO 81321-3299
Office Hours: Monday - Friday 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Phone: 970 565-7308 * Fax: 970 565-0822 * Email: smm@fone.net *
Website: www.montelorescatholiccommunity.org

Pastor: Rev. Joseph L. Gallegos, CR

Summer Mass Schedule: Saturday: 4:30 p.m.; Holidays: 7:00 p.m.

STAFF

Rev. Joseph L. Gallegos, CR, Pastor

Rev. Salvador Cisneros, CR, Parochial Vicar

Rev. Michael Papesh, Director of Life-Long Learning

Karen Andrews, Business Administrator

Theresa Phillips, Liturgist

Marilynn Hughes, Accounts Payable Clerk

Marie Ray Richmond, Office Manager

HISTORY

Before there was a church there was faith. From about 1895 until 1901, the various pastors of Telluride traveled at irregular intervals to celebrate mass in the homes of Catholics in Dolores. Then in 1901, construction on Our Lady of Victory began on the corner of 7^th Street and Central Avenue. The church was completed by 1903, and dedicated that June. The church was still attended by priests from Telluride who would come, weather permitting, by horseback or by the Narrow Gauge Railroad. Then in 1913, Fr. Joseph Brunner was assigned to Mancos and its attending missions. That made it possible for masses to be celebrated twice a month in Dolores.

The parish has survived two fires: a small fire in 1949 in the interior of the newly constructed hall, and another in 1956 that damaged the interior of the church. Fortunately, most of the church was saved and restored after the second disaster. Evidence of the fire can still be seen in a few places of the church.

Over the years, various remodeling projects have changed the look of both the interior and exterior of the church, but despite all the physical changes, the faith and dedication of the parishioners has remained constant. Currently, Our Lady of Victory is blessed with a congregation of eighty- two families.