Gratitude for OLV’s First Graduation of a Four-Year Class

Dear Friends of Our Lady of Victory,

For a high school, four years is a life cycle, at least for the graduating class. With OLV’s first graduation of a four-year class this coming weekend, it is also a natural time for reflecting on the beginning and growth of OLV.

The overwhelming sense is gratitude. Gratitude for the grace of God and the protection of Our Lady for this mission to succeed. Gratitude for our faculty and staff, for all they have sacrificed because they believe in forming young people. Gratitude for our students’ remarkable growth.

This sense of gratitude is strongest when our community comes together for a school-wide event. Taking in a fine arts night with one-act plays, listening to an all-school choir performance, cheering at a boys’ basketball game, or worshipping together at Mass with the Archbishop, the whole of the community is somehow greater than the sum of each family’s individual gifts. As cliche as that sounds, it’s true. But why? I think it’s the shared excitement in seeing that we can boldly pursue authentic freedom and joy together in our faith, in the arts, in athletics, or in just wasting time with friends. And that we can share that culture with our children—even high school students!—as we help form them into adults. It’s not perfect, but it’s still a blessing.

Of course, the OLV community is larger than those families currently enrolled or present at any given event. We are grateful for that wider community, especially our benefactors. This school is possible because of those many small donations that support parents who desire a faithfully Catholic education. You are also supporting the vocations of our teachers, so that we can pay a just wage to mission-fit men and women who love their fields of study. Thank you the sacrifices you have made for this mission; our prayer is that the blessings will always outweigh the burden.

Please pray for our graduating class, the class of 2023, as they prepare for the next steps in their vocations this week.

Our Lady of Victory, pray for us!

Dave Holman, Chairman of the Board, Our Lady of Victory

Archbishop Aquila Celebrates Mass at OLV

On February 3, 2023, OLV was honored to host His Excellency, Archbishop Samuel Aquila in the celebration of the Holy Eucharist.  In a homily based on the beheading of John the Baptist from the Gospel of Mark, Archbishop Aquila exhorted the OLV student body to expect persecution for their faith. But rather than inspiring fear, His Excellency encouraged OLV students to face this challenge joyfully and courageously, in friendship with Christ. OLV is very grateful to have had this opportunity for fellowship and unity with our Archbishop.  

Monsignor James Shea to Speak at OLV’s 2023 Commencement

Msgr. James Shea, President, University of Mary

OLV’s 2023 Graduation Speaker

Our Lady of Victory’s commencement will take place on Saturday, May 20, 2023, at 12:30 p.m., at St. Mary Catholic Parish in Littleton. We are excited to welcome Monsignor James Shea, well-known Catholic luminary and University of Mary President, as our commencement speaker this year. You are invited to join us:

• 12:30 p.m. — Baccalaureate Mass

• 2:00 p.m. — Commencement Ceremony

OLV’s 2023 graduates plan to attend Benedictine College, Christendom College, University of Mary, Hillsdale College, and Colorado Christian University.  Please join us in thanksgiving for these opportunities and praying for their continued formation!

Alex Crane Continues at OLV as Headmaster

As OLV heads into its fifth year, Mr. Alex Crane will continue to guide the school as headmaster. With the departure of Mr. Solak at the end of December 2022, Mr. Crane was named interim headmaster effective January 1, 2023. The Board of Trustees confirmed Mr. Crane’s role as the permanent headmaster in February 2023.

Mr. Crane holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Secondary Education from Colorado State University and a Master of Arts degree in Theology with a concentration in Biblical Theology from the Augustine Institute. He came to Our Lady of Victory in 2020 after teaching theology and history at Regis Jesuit High School for ten years and has been serving as Headmaster since January 2023. He has a particular passion for teaching Scripture in a way that helps students see the narrative thread that runs from Genesis to Revelation and understand their own place in that story as members of the Body of Christ.

Mr. Crane lives in Lone Tree with his wife, Ashley, and their five rambunctious saints-in-training, plus one due October 2023. When he is not delving deeper into Scripture scholarship or reading about the saints, he maintains a love-hate relationship with home improvement projects.

OLV’s Second Basketball Season

Our Lady of Victory embarked on its second season of basketball with the Front Range Christian Athletics Association this past fall and winter of 2022-23. This year built off of a successful launch into the league last year. The Knights fielded one Junior Varsity team with a mixture of freshmen through seniors. There were 7 teams in the league and the Knights finished with a 6-6 record.

At the season-ending tournament held in Westminster, the team earned a #4 seed into the tournament. They won their quarterfinal game to get into the Final Four but lost to the eventual champions in a hard fought game. The boys came a long way from the start of the season to the end. Everyone played with a great passion and most importantly learned to play for each other. It was a true team effort putting together and running the team throughout the season.

The boys were grateful to a coaching rotation of Mike Lipic, Charlie Miller, Gideon Stur, A.J. Cruz, and Japheth Stur, as well as administrative support from Mr. Peloquin and Mrs. Cushnie. They were also grateful to the OLV community for all of their support at each game, win or lose. It was a beautiful sight!

Next Year’s Freshman Class Is Full, and OLV Is Recruiting for the Fall of 2024

OLV is pleased to share we’ve reached full enrollment for our 2023-2024 freshman class, with a growing waitlist. OLV will continue to hold Shadow Days for prospective students on Thursdays. If you know prospective students who would thrive at OLV, please invite their families to request a Shadow Day at OLV to experience the difference! For families interested in the class of 2024-2025, please encourage them to apply early!

Thank You for Supporting OLV

We are grateful for your support of OLV.  Please consider joining OLV’s Lepanto Monthly Giving Club by committing to recurring donations of at least $50 per month.

And did you know that you can make gifts including appreciated stock and Qualified Charitable Distributions through our partners at the Catholic Foundation of Northern Colorado, which also facilitates planned giving to OLV?