19. The Jesuits come and go

Recatholization begins

The Benedictine Joseph Pramer renovated the foundation picture in 1598 and tried unsuccessfully to create a Benedictine men's convent since 1573. In 1614 the monastery was incorporated into the diocese of Vienna. In 1621, the monastery was handed over to the Passau Jesuits in consensus with the Pope. On December 9, 1621, they moved into the monastery building. The handover ceremony was on February 14, 1622.

Jesuits - residence

Traunkirchen was a small branch with a school for the training of priest candidates who were faithful to the pope and officials who were faithful to the emperor. A Father Superior was in charge of everything and managed the entire monastery property.
In 1631 the construction of a baroque church with art treasures began. The monastery, which burned down in 1632, was rebuilt.
The Jesuits were experts in teaching Catholic beliefs. For example, sea processions have been held on Corpus Christi Day since 1632. The "Kalvarienberg", the "Johannesberg" and other church pilgrimage sites in Traunkirchen were revitalized. Jesuits, gifted holiday speakers and confessors, founded lay associations, such as the Marian Congregation, and cultivated the veneration of the Blessed Virgin Mary. They had their difficulties with the parishes in the upper Salzkammergut that had become Protestant. But this is another story.

The Jesuits had to go

Pope Clement XIV abolished the order, which had become powerful within the church, and lifted the Jesuits up to a worldly priestly position. On September 18th in 1773, after being informed by the commissioners, the Jesuits left the monastery.
A separate exhibition on the work of the Jesuits in Traunkirchen is planned for 2022.

Descritption to Illustrations
01, 02 handover to Jesuits (14.02.1622) solemn legal act Carl Ritter, from Gmunden City Archives, manuscript 129, OÖLA
a. The Father Prior, head of the college of the Society of Jesus of Passau, receives the vow of fidelity from all Traunkirchner subjects through their prefect.
b. The Imperial Commissioners
c. The highly famous and praised Mr. Mathias Gartner, the head of all salines in Styria and Austria
d. The outstanding Mr. Justinian Hazenberg, indisputably the first among the country's senators
e. Emperor Ferdinand II's willingness to donate
f. with the holy authority of Pope Gregory XV
G. with the care of the very sublime bishop Leopold von Passau
H. Traunkirchen, long dedicated to the great Queen of Heaven, was transferred to the Society of Jesus on February 14th in 1622 for the benefit of the Passau college in spiritual and secular matters.
i. The Commissioners of the Bishop
k. The most venerable and noblest Mr. Joannes Prenner, doctor of holy theology and most gracious suffragan bishop of Passau
l. The very famous and extremely legally trained Dr. Langmann, the Vice Chancellor of the Souvereign of Passau.
m. The venerable Father Joannes Istording, rector of the college of the Passau Society of Jesus, together with his confrere Father Christoph Schlegel, and in the middle of them the noble Daniel Hoffmandl, the counter-clerk in the Gmundner Salzamt and the administrator and lessor of the Traunkirchner property.
Everything shown in this picture was taken from the history of the house in 1622.
(Translation from Latin by E. Höllwerth)

© E. Rumpf, R. Hofbauer; Translation: XiBIT Infoguide GmbH