Krzyz Oficerski Orderu Odr Polski1918

KDG Chaplain receives prestigious award from Poland

On Thursday, 12th November 2009 Polish Ambassador, Marcin Kubiak, honoured Rev, Fr. Bogdan Wilkaniec by awarding him The Order of Polonia Restituta, one of Poland's highest Orders of Merit. The Order was awarded for Fr. Bogdan’s service and dedication to the South African Polish Community

Fr Bogdan is Chaplain of Council No.4 and parish priest of the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Hercules, Pretoria. In January 2006 he was elected by the South African Polish Community to represent the South African Polish people in the Polish Senate.

The Order of Polonia Restituta can be conferred for outstanding achievements in the fields of education, culture, social work, civil service, or for furthering good relations between countries. It was established on February 4, 1921.

The Order of Polonia Restituta is commonly believed to be the successor to the Order of the Knights of Saint Stanislaus, Bishop and Martyr (known simply as the Order of Saint Stanislaus) established by the last King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth – Stanislaw August Poniatowski, to honour supporters of the Polish Crown. It was established on May 7, 1765, its number fixed at a total of 100, and required the Knights a payment of fees that were donated to benefit the poor as well as adherence to various rules of chivalry. Due to the rising influence of the Russian Empire on Central European affairs the rules of awarding of the Order were broken. After the Partitions of Poland the Order was resurrected in the Duchy of Warsaw, bestowing upon its recipients the title of hereditary nobility and requiring donations to a Warsaw hospital. After the November Uprising the Order was entirely taken over by the Russian Empire.

When Poland regained its independence in 1918, the government abolished this Order due to the severe abuses of its rules by the Russians who often awarded their version to those who - according to the dominant view in newly-independent Poland - had been responsible for the destruction of Poland and Polish culture. Instead the Order of Polonia Restituta was established to once again reward the noble values that the original stood for. The Order was established on February 4, 1921 and the first Grand Master of the Order - Marshal Józef Pilsudski awarded the first Orders on July 13, 1921. The Order also became Poland's main honour for foreigners and is awarded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs