Please consider giving a gift to help continue the good works of the Church today. (please ensure you select the SRE Fund) You can make a tax-deductible donation at: dow.sh/ministrygiving or by scanning this QR code: ST PETER TO ROT Courageous Catechist and Witness to the Faith BY FRANCES FAIRS On October 19, Pope Leo XIV canonised seven new saints, including the martyred lay catechist from Papua New Guinea, St Peter To Rot, who was arrested in 1945 during the Japanese occupation in World War II and martyred for refusing to abandon his Catholic faith. His trust in God transformed him into a lamp that illuminated everyone. Peter To Rot was born in 1912 into one of the first Catholic families in the Rakanui region of Papua New Guinea. He was formed in faith from an early age and trained at St Paul’s Mission School to serve as a catechist. Peter succeeded brilliantly in his studies and at age 21, obtained the catechist’s diploma. An account described the young Peter “…he was modest and there was not the slightest vanity in him, neither with regard to his background nor capability. He let the older catechists guide him in his work and accepted their advice but eventually eclipsed them all and soon became their recognised leader, although he was younger”. As a catechist, Peter was known for his humility, compassion, and deep love of Scripture. He gathered people for prayer, instructed children and adults in the faith, and cared for the sick and poor. Peter married a young Catholic woman from a neighbouring village and three children were born from the marriage. In 1942, when the Japanese imprisoned the missionaries, removing them from the villages, Peter courageously stepped forward to shepherd the faithful. For nearly four years, he led Sunday services, baptised infants, prepared couples for marriage, and comforted the dying — often in secret and at great personal risk. The Japanese became aware of Peter’s work and apostolate. Many times, he was called by the police and threatened. But he told his friends, “They want to take away prayer from us, but I shall do my work.” I’m your catechist, and I will do my duty even if it costs me my life. Secretly, at night, and in dug-outs, St Peter To Rot continued to serve the community and when warned to stop his ministry, Peter replied with unwavering conviction: “They have taken away our priests, but they cannot forbid us to be Catholics and to live and die as such. I’m your catechist, and I will do my duty even if it costs me my life.” That promise became his reality. After publicly opposing the Japanese policy that promoted polygamy, Peter was arrested and later killed in prison for his faith. His steadfast commitment to his catechetical mission — even to the point of martyrdom — inspired generations of Papua New Guinean Catholics. During his Beatification, Pope John Paul II stated, “because the Spirit of God dwelt in him, he fearlessly proclaimed the truth about the sanctity of marriage. He refused to take the ‘easy way’ of moral compromise. ‘I have to fulfil my duty as a Church witness to Jesus Christ,’ he explained. Fear of suffering and death did not deter him.” At his canonisation on Sunday, Pope Leo XIV said that it was his trust in God that transformed him from being “a normal person, like any one of us, into a lamp that illuminated everyone” and “May the example of Saint Peter To Rot encourage us to defend the truths of the faith, even at the cost of personal sacrifice, and to rely always on God in our trials.” St Peter To Rot is a shining example of lay leadership, courage, and fidelity. He showed that the catechist’s mission is not only to teach about Christ, but to live the Gospel with unwavering love and faith. CATECHI STNET • DECEMBER 2025 | 19
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