On Sunday, October 19th in Vatican City, all attention was focused on the lives of the the men and women celebrated in the rites of Canonization. Among those elevated was Peter To Rot, the first saint from Papua New Guinea, recognized as a martyr in his roles as a tireless catechist and faithful spouse. P
eter was executed by Japanese occupation forces during World War II for his steadfast defense of Christian monogamy and his refusal to threaten the integrity of his ministry.
Our friars have lived and worked in Papua New Guinea since 1955, and the event has been a special gift for the men and women of the island country. In Rome for the festivities was our brother Neil Blue, OFM Cap., First Councilor and Vocation Director of our Custody of St. Michael the Archangel there. He lives and works from Goroka's St. Hippoytus Fraternity.
Also present was St. Maria Tiki, FSM, Superior of the Franciscan Sisters of Mary. In this photo, our brother Neil is second from the left, and Sr. Maria is on the far right.
Meanwhile, back on the homefront in Mendi, brother Modest Sangia, OFM Cap., the Superior of our friars in Papua New Guinea, celebrated a Mass to honor the new saint which included a calling and blessing of catechists, those who continue the work which St. Peter ToRot so zealously performed and the work for which he was martyred. Each catechist was gifted with a blessed figure of the new saint.
