Blessed Peter ToRot feast day

July 7 was a special day for Roman Catholics throughout Papua New Guinea.

It was on that day in 1945, that a well noted and beloved catechist was imprisoned by the Japanese forces, sentenced to death by lethal injection and struck on the back of his head as he lay dying.

On January 17, 1995, Blessed Peter ToRot from Rakunai village in East New Britain was beatified and declared a martyr by Pope John Paul the second, at the Sir John Guise stadium in Port Moresby.

Member for Gazelle and Minister for Health, Jelta Wong, joined hundreds of Catholic faithfuls at the St Augustine Parish Basilica at Rakunai to celebrate the significant feast day of Blessed Peter ToRot on Tuesday (July 7).

Minister Wong is encouraging young Catholics to stand up and take on the roles and responsibilities of vocation as catechists. He said women, especially wives of catechists, must stand by their husbands in the discharge of their duties as servants of God.

Wong said youths should learn the history of Blessed Peter ToRot, who was a role model in his community and the wider Catholic faith.

Sir John Cardinal Ribat was the main celebrant on this feast day. He was joined by the newly-appointed Archbishop of Rabaul, Rochus Tatamai, outgoing Archbishop Francisco Panfilo and Bishop of Kerema.

Cardinal Ribat urged Catholic believers to follow in the footsteps of Blessed Peter ToRot who, during his lifetime, encouraged people to have church values and the importance of maintaining family units.

(Sir John Cardinal Ribat and Gazelle MP Jelta Wong share a word during the feast day at Rakunai)

Author: 
Press release