In today’s Gospel we will hear the words: My zeal for your house consumes me.
Servant of God, Fr. John Schneider was appointed administrator of the parish of St. Matthias in Wrocław on April 3, 1854. The name of the parish came from the church of St. Matthias. It was established as a court chapel associated with the court of Henry the Bearded, husband of St. Hedwig Śląska. In the 1440s, the daughter-in-law of St. Hedwig, Duchess Anna, founded a hospital dedicated to St. Elizabeth, and in 1253 she brought the Crusaders with the Red Star, creating a monastery for them, and also donated the church to the monks. In the 15th century, the temple of St. Matthias was rebuilt and enlarged.
In the 15th century, the temple of St. Matthias was rebuilt and enlarged. In 1525. the parish of St. Elizabeth, as it was taken over by Protestants. From 1638. church of St. Matthias and the monastery buildings belonged to the Jesuits, to whom we owe the reconstruction of the interior of the church and its baroque interior. St. Matthias parish functions of St. Elizabeth, he served until 1818. After the dissolution of the Jesuit Order, their monastery was converted into the Catholic gymnasium of St. Matthias, and the Church of St. Matthias became from 1813. high school church. School Holy Masses for junior high school students were celebrated there. St. Matthias was transferred to the post-Jesuit church of the Holy Name of Jesus.
The Church of the Holy Name of Jesus was founded on the initiative of the Jesuits on the site of the former prince’s castle in the years 1683-1698. It is modeled on the construction of the Church of Il Gesu in Rome and the Church of St. Ignatius in Linz. It is one of the most beautiful baroque church buildings in Silesia. It has 14 chapels next to the main altar. Near the sacristy there is a chapel dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary with a miraculous image of Our Lady Help of Christians of Wrocław. Under this picture, John Schneider often prayed as a theology student and then priest. The liturgical life of the parish continued in the Church of the Holy Name of Jesus.
From 11 November 1869 duties of the parish priest of St. Matthias was performed by our Founder. As a parish priest, he restored the parish church of the Name of Jesus, restored four altars, the pulpit, the tabernacle and the painting in the main altar. The main altar was made in the years 1722-1724 according to the plans of the outstanding Jesuit artist, painter and sculptor Christoph. It represents the giving of the Name of Jesus to the Savior of the world. Above the altar there is an inscription: “In the name of Jesus, let every knee bow down” (Lk II, 21). The altar is decorated with figures: the Founder of the Society of Jesuits – St. Ignatius of Loyola (+1556) and St. Francis Xavier (+1556).
In 1869, when the Servant of God was appointed parish priest, St. Matthias had 5,850 Catholics. In the parish, Fr. John Schneider worked with other five priests. The Church of the Name of Jesus, adjacent to the building of the University of Wrocław, was also a place of religious ceremonies for Wrocław professors and students. Nevertheless, our Founder, devoted his energies and pastoral concerns to the parishioners living in the parish of St. Matthias. Here he found courageous parishioners with whom he created his life’s work. It will be about that next time.
And for me, what value is my parish church?
Sr.M. Elżbieta Cińcio