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Peter To Rot (pronounced as Toe WROTE), third of six children, was born around 1912 in New Pomeranian, New Guinea. His father, Angelo, was the chief of the village, and his mother was Maria. Both Angelo and Maria had become Catholic Christians in 1898, and they were very devout people.
Peter was Angelo’s favorite child, and he tried to groom him as a leader. When Peter was seven years old, Angelo sent Peter to school even though school was not required in those days. Peter was a very capable student, and he was always ready to help those in need. For example, he was known for climbing coconut trees to obtain coconuts for elderly people who could not do so.
When he was 18 years old, the parish priest, a Missionary of the Sacred Heart, asked Angelo if Peter could study to become a priest. Angelo, however, said that it was too soon in the history of Papua New Guinea for a native to become a priest. Angelo did agree to let Peter study to become a catechist, though, so Peter went to Catechist School in Taliligap that the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart ran.
After his third year in catechist school, Peter returned to his town of Rakunai and, at age 21, became the youngest catechist. He not only taught in the parish school, but he also visited and prayed with the sick.
When he was 24 years old, he married a woman named Paula, and together they produced two children.
In January 1942, war came to New Guinea, and Japanese landed on the island where Peter and Paula lived. The soldiers sent the missionary priests to a prison camp. Before leaving, Peter’s parish priest told Peter, “I am leaving all my work here in your hands. Look after these people well. Help them, so they don’t forget about God.”
Peter did just as the priest instructed. He visited the sick, prayed with the dying, taught the children and adults, and encouraged those who were frightened of the war.
Peter also gathered the people in one place each day for prayer. However, as the bombings increased, he realized it was too dangerous to have people all in one place. Therefore, he established small groups that would meet in different places to pray and support each other.
Unfortunately, Japanese spies learned that Peter was continuing to lead the people in prayer, and he was imprisoned. On July 7, 1945, when he was 32 or 33 years old, the Japanese occupiers killed Peter. Before his death, however, Peter told the village chief to take care of the people. And to another friend, he said, “If it is God’s will, I’ll be murdered for the faith. I am a child of the church and therefore for the church I will die.”
Pope St. John Paul II beatified Peter To Rot on January 17, 1995 in Papua New Guinea. Blessed Peter To Rot’s feast day is July 7.
