On Saturday 21st September OGs and their families gathered for this year’s Dinner in Kraków.
It has become a tradition to hold the Polish OG Dinner every September, normally in Warsaw. However, this year, for the first time, we ventured outside of Warsaw, with alumni and their families gathering in the historic city of Kraków. The September reunion is now a well-established annual event among Polish OGs, and this year’s change of venue added a fresh perspective to the event.
A strong group of OGs joined the weekend, including Rafał Milczarski (S95), Igor Korczagin (S95), Marek Niedużak (B00), Tomasz Duda (B00), and Jędrzej Kozak (R12), as well as two recent leavers, Paweł Korczagin (S24) and Joszko Suchan (B24). We were also very happy to welcome the President of St Gregory’s Society, Ken Beedle (R73), and Jess Newman, Director of Development at Downside School.
The Royal City of Kraków, the former capital of Poland and one of the country’s oldest cities, is situated on the Vistula River in the south, providing the perfect backdrop for the occasion.
Its UNESCO World Heritage Site status, with a beautifully preserved Old Town, the largest market square in Poland, and historical landmarks such as the Royal Castle, provided a fitting atmosphere for the gathering.
The day began with a guided tour of Kraków’s historic Old Town, where we explored its major sights, including the Royal Castle, the Cathedral, and the University. We celebrated a Holy Mass in the afternoon at the Benedictine Abbey of Tyniec. We are very thankful to the Tyniec community for their hospitality and especially to Dom Karol Cetwiński OSB for saying a Mass in Latin for the Downside Community.
The day concluded with a traditional Polish dinner, offering the chance for OGs to catch up over delicious local dishes. We are already looking forward to next year’s reunion in Kraków, hoping to see even more OGs and their families join us for this annual tradition.
A special thanks to Igor Korczagin (S95) for organising such a memorable weekend.
