Blessed Peter ToRot anniversary observed

Blessed Peter ToRot was beatified especially because of his defense of the sacrament of marriage, said Bishop Rochus Tatamai at the Silver Jubilee Anniversary mass of the Beatification of Blessed Peter ToRot.

The Bishop of Kavieng – Lorengau and President of the Bishops Conference of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands is a grand nephew of Blessed Peter ToRot.

He spoke at length about the life and martyrdom of Blessed Peter ToRot from which he drew lessons for the work of catechists, the Sacrament of Marriage and family life, relationship of our faith and culture.

Blessed Peter ToRot, a catechist in Rakunai Village in the Gazelle Peninsula of East New Britain Province, was killed by the Japanese in 1945 toward the end of the second World War.

“He was killed for refusing to cease carrying out his duty as a catechist in leading his people in praying, instructing the children in the faith, witnessing and blessing marriages and above all defying the order of the Japanese allowing polygamy by defending the sanctity of marriage,” said the CBC.

“He was officially declared by Pope St John Paul II a Martyr for the faith during the Beatification Ceremony at Sir John Guise Stadium, Port Moresby on 17 January 1995.”

The main anniversary celebrations were held in Rakunai on Friday 17 January 2020. The anniversary celebrations in Port Moresby were coordinated by the Blessed Petro ToRot Foundation Inc, a lay organisation established in 1996 to promote the life and work of Blessed Peter ToRot and support the Archbishop of Rabaul in the Cause for the Canonization of Blessed Peter ToRot.

The celebrations were held at St Joseph’s Parish Boroko. Sir John Cardinal Ribat blessed the chapel dedicated to Bl Peter ToRot in the Marian Valley, Brisbane on 19th January.

The celebrations included a Eucharistic celebration with Bishop Rochus Tatamai MSC as the main celebrant. Concelebrating with him were Fr John Willio MSC the Provincial Superior of the PNG MSC Province, Fr Urban Kalimet MSC the Deputy Provincial, Fr Ambrose Pereira SDB, Fr Reynold Caigoy and Fr Victor Roche.

Author: 
Press release