Canonisation of PNG’s Blessed Peter To Rot welcomed in NZ

By CathNews New Zealand

April 4th, 2025

An icon of Blessed Peter To Rot at Good Shepherd Seminary in Mount Hagen (Facebook/Bishop Steve Lowe)

The president of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference says the impending canonisation of Papua New Guinea’s first saint is "joyful news" for that nation's Catholics.

On March 31, Pope Francis cleared the path to canonisation for Blessed Peter To Rot, a layman martyred for the faith in present-day Papua New Guinea, Vatican News reported.

Blessed Peter was educated in the Christian faith and became a catechist. His life was characterised by charity, humility and dedication to the poor and orphans.

During the Japanese occupation of PNG during the Second World War, Blessed Peter continued to prepare couples for marriage as missionaries were imprisoned. When his pastoral activity was forbidden, he carried out his apostolate in secret, fully aware that he was risking his life.

He staunchly defended the sanctity of marriage and opposed the practice of polygamy, confronting even his older brother, who had taken a second wife. Blessed Peter’s brother reported him to the police, and he was sentenced to two months in prison, where he died of poisoning in July 1945.

St John Paul II beatified Blessed Peter on January 17, 1995 in Port Moresby.

In a Facebook post on April 1, Auckland Bishop Steve Lowe said that the canonisation announcement was “joyful news for the Catholic community in Papua New Guinea”.

Bishop Lowe said that he had had “the privilege of visiting Papua New Guinea twice: for the gathering of the Bishops of Oceania in 2018 and during Pope Francis’ visit last September”.

“The people there have such a deep love for Blessed Peter – soon to be Saint Peter. May his canonisation be a source of pride for the people and further strengthen their vibrant faith.”

On March 31, 2025, Pope Francis also approved publication of decrees related to the canonisations of Archbishop Ignatius Choukrallah Maloyan, who was murdered during the Armenian genocide, and Venezuelan religious founder Mother Maria del Monte Carmelo.

Pope Francis recognised a miracle attributed to Fr Carmelo De Palma, an Italian priest from Bari, who was born in 1876. He also recognised the heroic virtues of Servant of God José Antônio de Maria Ibiapina, a 19th-century Brazilian politician-turned-priest.

FULL STORY

Pope clears path for canonization of PNG Blessed Peter To Rot – Vatican News (Vatican News)

Facebook/ Bishop Steve Lowe (Facebook/Bishop Steve Lowe)