About St. Mathias · Wanda, Minnesota
St. Mathias Catholic Church is a small rural parish located in the unincorporated community of Wanda, in Willow Lake Township, Redwood County, southwestern Minnesota. Founded in 1883 and long served by German and Irish Catholic farming families of Willow Lake Township, it is one of the oldest Catholic parishes in the region and today is a member of the Light of the World Area Faith Community within the Diocese of New Ulm. The parish shares pastoral ministry and worship resources with neighboring St. Mary (Seaforth), Our Lady of Victory (Lucan), and St. Anne (Wabasso). The current church, a brick edifice built in 1914, was dedicated in November 1915 by Bishop J. J. Lawler of the (then) Diocese of St. Cloud/New Ulm territory and continues to serve as a focal point of Catholic life for Wanda-area farm families.
- Established
- 1883
- Patron
- Saint Matthias (the Apostle)
- Rector
- Father Anthony (Tony) Hesse
- Diocese
- Diocese of New Ulm
Why belong here
St. Mathias offers something increasingly rare in rural America: a small, stable, century-old Catholic parish where the same families have been worshipping on the prairie for over 140 years. As a member of the Light of the World Area Faith Community, the parish shares Father Tony Hesse and a network of Catholic neighbors across Wabasso, Redwood Falls, Seaforth, and Lucan, so Mass, sacraments, faith formation, and Eucharistic Adoration are all within easy reach. The community is known for its working-farm Catholic character — a tradition of families hauling stone, wood, and pew-rent to build and pay off the church — that still shows up today in devoted lay participation and a strong sense that everyone lends a hand when it's needed.
About St. Mathias Catholic Church, Wanda
St. Mathias is a small rural Catholic parish in the unincorporated community of Wanda, in Willow Lake Township, Redwood County, southwestern Minnesota. It is one of the oldest Catholic congregations in Redwood County, founded in 1883 by German and Irish Catholic homesteaders, and is today a member parish of the Light of the World Area Faith Community in the Diocese of New Ulm. The current brick church was built in 1914 and formally dedicated on November 16, 1915, by Bishop J. J. Lawler; it continues in active use. The mailing address is 308 St. Mathias Blvd, Wanda, MN, and the parish is reached through the AFC office at (507) 342-5190.
History
The parish's story begins with the first Catholic homesteaders of Willow Lake Township in the early 1880s. Masses were first celebrated in settlers' homes — including that of Christopher Whelan, who had taken his homestead in section 34 in 1872 — by visiting priests from Mankato, Sleepy Eye, Madison, Fairfax, and Morgan. In 1897, Rev. James J. Woods became the first resident pastor; under his successors, the parish grew enough to demand a larger church.
Construction of the Present Church (1914)
The cornerstone of the new brick church was laid on July 8, 1914, with Rev. R. Schlinkert of New Ulm officiating. The first Mass was celebrated in the new building on March 7, 1915, and the solemn dedication took place on November 16, 1915, with Bishop J. J. Lawler presiding at the Solemn High Mass. The building measured 44 × 120 feet, was built at a cost of about $25,000, and was described as the finest church edifice in Redwood County. Stained-glass windows depicting patron saints and the Last Supper were donated by parish families and societies at $75 each, and the pews were funded by the parish Sewing Circle at a cost of $750.
The 1983 Centenary
On the hundredth anniversary of the parish's founding, the community published *Saint Mathias Parish, 1883–1983: 100 Years of Faith, Love and Community* (Tracy, Minn.: Tracy Publishing Co., 1983), a printed centennial history. A copy is held in the University of Notre Dame Library. Parish sacramental records from 1915 onward are preserved on microfilm at the FamilySearch Library.
Worship & Liturgy
Because St. Mathias is part of the multi-parish Light of the World Area Faith Community, Mass is celebrated according to the AFC schedule that rotates among St. Mathias (Wanda), St. Mary (Seaforth), Our Lady of Victory (Lucan), St. Anne (Wabasso), and St. Catherine (Redwood Falls). Live-streamed Masses and services are offered through the AFC website (www.lowafc.org) and the AFC YouTube channel so that homebound parishioners and rural families across the AFC territory can participate.
- Weekend Mass — AFC rotating schedule
- Weekday Mass — AFC rotating schedule
- Live-streamed Masses via www.lowafc.org
- Eucharistic Adoration
- Reconciliation — see AFC bulletin
Light of the World Area Faith Community (Mother of Hope AFC)
St. Mathias is one of the parishes of the Light of the World Area Faith Community (also styled Mother of Hope AFC), which clusters Catholic life across a wide swath of Redwood County. The AFC brings together St. Anne (Wabasso), St. Catherine (Redwood Falls), St. Mary (Seaforth), Our Lady of Victory (Lucan), and St. Mathias (Wanda) under a single pastoral team led by Father Tony Hesse. The AFC publishes a unified bulletin, maintains a single website and YouTube presence, and shares faith-formation, sacramental-preparation, and parish-staff resources across its member parishes.
- St. Anne, Wabasso
- St. Catherine, Redwood Falls
- St. Mary, Seaforth
- Our Lady of Victory, Lucan
- St. Mathias, Wanda
Sacraments & Devotions
The parish celebrates the seven Catholic sacraments in cooperation with the AFC. Baptisms, weddings, anointing of the sick, and funerals are scheduled through the AFC office; First Communion, Confirmation, and adult-initiation preparation are coordinated at the AFC level so that candidates from Wanda, Wabasso, Seaforth, Lucan, and Redwood Falls prepare together. Devotions include Eucharistic Adoration (rotating among AFC parishes), the Rosary before scheduled Masses and funerals, and Parish Prayer Services during Advent, Lent, and funerals.
- Baptism
- First Holy Communion
- Confirmation
- Matrimony
- Anointing of the Sick
- Reconciliation (AFC schedule)
- Eucharistic Adoration
- Rosary
- Parish Prayer Services / Stations of the Cross
St. Mathias Catholic Cemetery
Adjoining the church is the parish's own Catholic cemetery, the traditional burial ground for generations of Wanda-area Catholic farm families. Cemetery events include an annual Memorial Day Prayer Service and are mentioned regularly in the AFC bulletin. Funerals are coordinated through the AFC office with interment typically taking place at the St. Mathias Catholic Cemetery or the cemetery of another AFC parish according to family preference.
- Annual Memorial Day Prayer Service in the cemetery
- Funeral Masses and Christian burial
- Family burial plots
Parish Staff & Pastoral Leadership
St. Mathias is currently pastored as part of the Light of the World Area Faith Community by Father Anthony (Tony) Hesse, who serves as the AFC's pastor. The AFC office, reached at (507) 342-5190, coordinates parish business for St. Mathias as well as the other AFC member parishes. Volunteer parish leadership includes the Parish Council and the Parish Finance Council, which meet regularly to guide the spiritual and temporal affairs of the parish.
- Father Anthony (Tony) Hesse — Pastor, Light of the World AFC
- AFC office — (507) 342-5190
- Parish Council
- Parish Finance Council
Getting Involved & New Parishioners
New parishioners are welcomed through the AFC's online registration form, accessible from the parish website (www.lowafc.org). Volunteer opportunities include liturgical ministry (lector, extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, server, music), the parish council, finance council, cemetery committee, faith-formation catechesis, and parish social events. Because St. Mathias is a small rural parish, virtually every active ministry draws on lay volunteers, and participation is welcomed from across the AFC.
- New parishioner registration (online form)
- Liturgical ministries (lector, EMHC, server, music)
- Parish and Finance Councils
- Catechesis / faith-formation volunteers
- Cemetery committee
- Parish socials and fundraising events
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Father Schnitzler1885–1886
Mission priest from Mankato serving the Wanda mission before a resident pastor was appointed.
- Rev. Father Tori1886–1887
Mission priest from Sleepy Eye.
- Rev. Father Reichel1887–1888
Mission priest from Sleepy Eye.
- Rev. Father Shoenen1888–1890
Mission priest from Madison, Minnesota.
- Rev. Father Rosen1890–1893
Mission priest from Fairfax, Minnesota.
- Rev. Father Vanderlage1893–1897
Mission priest from Morgan, Minnesota.
- Rev. James J. Woods1897–1908
First resident pastor of St. Mathias Parish; appointed 1897, served until fall 1908.
- Rev. Valentine Schiffrer1908–1910
Succeeded Fr. Woods in fall 1908; remained until August 1910. Returned to celebrate Mass at the dedication of the new church.
- Rev. Joseph J. Tomek1910–1915+
Took charge August 1910; pastor during the 1914 construction and November 16, 1915 dedication of the present brick church. Previously an assistant at the Cathedral of St. Paul for three years.
- Rev. Th. TychsenJuly 1913 – (also served Comfrey and Stately Twp. congregations)
Listed in Redwood County histories as pastor — note: this name appears in genealogytrails' parish history for nearby St. Joseph's/Lamberton-area parishes; cross-referenced with St. Mathias history but may belong to a neighboring parish served by the same priest.
- Rev. John Schulte, O.M.T.November 1915 –
Listed in 1915 Redwood County histories as the resident pastor of St. Mathias, residing at Wanda.
- Fr. Leonard Jenniges
Born 1923 in Waterbury Township, Redwood County; raised near Wanda (attended Wanda grade school, Lamberton High School); ordained June 5, 1948, at St. Paul Cathedral for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis; later incardinated into the Diocese of New Ulm. Connection to St. Mathias is local/biographical.
- Fr. Joseph Balent1957–1966
Ordained October 1944 for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis; incardinated into the newly erected Diocese of New Ulm in 1957; served as Pastor of St. Mathias, Wanda, 1957–1966. Deceased 1986.
- Fr. Anthony (Tony) HessePresent
Current pastor of the Light of the World Area Faith Community (which includes St. Mathias, Wanda). Previously listed as sacramental minister also serving St. Thomas, Sanborn and St. Joseph, Lamberton, 1993–1998.