On Sunday 5 July the Papuan New Guinea Catholic community celebrated the first Feast Day of Saint Peter To Rot at Marian Valley (QLD) where the community built the St Peter To Rot Chapel.

Fr Paul Sireh, OCarm (Chaplain to the community) was the principal celebrant of the Mass, together with some of the Marian Valley Pauline Fathers.

During the mass Fr Jarek Blessed the Bird of Paradise mural done by Serge Ah Wong, a PNG artist residing in Logan. The Bird of Paradise represents the Holy Spirit.

St Peter To Rot was a lay catechist who was martyred in 1945 for continuing his apostolate despite a ban imposed by the Japanese. He is the first native Papuan saint, a fervent defender of marriage and the family, a catechist committed to the mission of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart.

Catechists were true religious and spiritual leaders in charge of keeping the flame of faith alive, carrying out all the activities of a missionary in his absence, with the exception of consecration. They perform baptisms, celebrate marriages, bring the Word... Sometimes their commitment is so great that they even give their lives for it. 

During World War II, in 1942, the Japanese army invaded Papua New Guinea. One of the first measures they took was to imprison all missionaries, although they continued to allow religious practice by the population. Here, catechists in general, and Peter To Rot in particular, played a very important role in sustaining the faith, celebrations and the dispensation of the sacraments.

A year later, the Japanese began to prohibit certain activities until, finally, they banned all religious practice. But Peter To Rot had already made a very strong commitment to the proclamation of the Word of God and to put the teachings of Jesus into practice according to the Gospel.

He went out in the evenings, in secret, to pray with some groups. He gave a little catechesis and, if necessary, baptised or officiated at weddings. He was well aware that, in the absence of the missionaries, he had to exercise his role as catechist, so as not to leave the Christian communities alone.

Finally, he was arrested. While in prison he came down with a cold. Taking advantage of his cold, the doctor gave him an injection and made him take a so-called medicine. After a short while, he felt like vomiting, the doctor covered his mouth and he died.

St Peter To Rot was canonised on 19 October 2025 by Pope Leo XIV.

More photos below