A group of Catholic families arrived in Sacramento in 1983, leaders of the Solidarity movement in Poland, immigrants who had been given a one-way passport, trying to find their way in a new home.

The Polish priest who opened his arms to them, helped them find a place to live, learn a new language and nurtured the faith traditions of their homeland was Father Leon Juchniewicz.

In recognition of his religious and patriotic work in the Polish American community in California, Father Juchniewicz, pastor of St. Basil Parish in Vallejo, was presented with the Cavalier’s Cross of the Order of Merit from the Republic of Poland.

The award was presented to Father Juchniewicz by Krystyna Tokarska-Biernacik, Consul General of the Polish Consulate of Los Angeles, on Oct. 17 at the Polonian Cultural and Pastoral Center in Sacramento.

The Cavalier’s Cross of the Order of Merit, which is the highest non-military Polish Medal of Honor, is granted by Lech Walesa, former President of Poland.

“It was very meaningful for me because I received it from Lech WalesaÖwho made history for us,” said Father Juchniewicz.

He was originally to receive the honor from Poland’s minister of foreign affairs in Southern California on Sept. 15, 2001, an event cancelled in the aftermath of Sept. 11. The change of venue to the Polonian Cultural and Pastoral Center’s Our Lady of Czestochowa Chapel, Father Juchniewicz said, gave the honor deeper significance.

“Having the presentation in the chapel is where everything is connected in my work with the community and the Polish immigrants,” he said.

Since arriving in the diocese in 1984, Father Juchniewicz’s contributions to the Polish American community include co-founding the Polonian Cultural and Pastoral Center, organizing and supporting various Polish American cultural events and establishing a Polish library and Sunday school at the Polonian Center.

Prior to 1984, Father Juchniewicz was active in the Solidarity movement in Poland where he served as a parish priest for four years beginning in 1980.

Father Sylvester Kwiatkowski, chaplain of Our Lady of Czestochowa, said the Cavalier’s Cross recognized it was Father Juchniewicz who “kept the flavor of Polish faith and tradition alive among Polish immigrants” living in California.

“He was the one who gave them hope in this country and helped them save their identity,” Father Kwiatkowski said.

One of the Polish Catholics arriving in 1983 was Eugene Grellus, a former president of a communications workers union and one of 20,000 Solidarity leaders arrested by the communist government on Dec. 13, 1981.

Grellus, then in his 30s, spent the next eight months in jail, separated from his family and in fear of losing his life. He said leaving Poland was not a choice, but immigrating to Sacramento turned out to be providential. Shortly after his arrival, he heard about Father Juchniewicz, who was parochial vicar of St. Philomene Parish.

“When we met (Father Juchniewicz) it was like a miracle happened. He was one of us,” Grellus said.

He began attending Masses in Polish at St. Philomene Parish where Father Juchniewicz served as parochial vicar from 1986 to 1993.

“We were able to pray in our own language, the language we were taught by our moms,” Grellus said. “Father Juchniewicz was our spiritual leader and part of the family from the beginning,”

Maria Szymanski, who was among those organizing the special Mass and awards presentation for Father Juchniewicz, also met the Polish priest during his tenure at St. Philomene.

She will not soon forget his compassion for the new immigrant families who he and St. Philomene parishioners assisted with food and clothing.

“He was helping every family,” said Szymanski, whose own three children received the sacraments from Father Juchniewicz. “We came with small children for Communions, weddings, with Catholic needs, and when we needed him he always had time for us.”

Following Mass and the presentation of the Cavalier’s Cross, Father Juchniewicz spoke informally to more than 200 Polish Americans who had gathered for the event. His words to them were simple.

“The award is not mine. It’s ours,” Father Juchniewicz said. “We made it together.”

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