Saint of the Day: Blessed Peter ToRot Peter ToRot was born in 1912 on an island of Papua New Guinea. His father, the village chief, had invited Catholic missionaries to teach his people. Peter’s father and mother were fervent Catholics, helping the poor and orphans, often in their own home. As a teenager, Peter was drawn to prayer and the Eucharist. The parish priest and Peter’s father recognized Peter’s faith and abilities. They encouraged Peter to become a catechist. Most of the evangelization in New Guinea was carried out by catechists. Their role was to give instructions to those preparing for Baptism, hold prayer services, and take care of the sick and those in need. Peter was assigned to work in his own village. He organized prayer groups and classes for instruction in the faith. He knew the Bible well, always carried it with him, and relied on it heavily in his teaching. His gentleness and genuine concern for everyone in his tribe drew people to him. They could tell that he practiced what he preached. On November 11, 1936, Peter married Paula LaVarpit, a young Catholic woman from a nearby village. They had three children. Peter was a kind and loving husband and father. Every day he and his family would gather together and pray. In March of 1942, during World War II, the Japanese occupied the little island. After a time of religious tolerance, the Japanese began to restrict missionary activity. Soon, all missionaries, Catholic and Methodist, were confined. When the priest in Peter’s village was forced to leave, he shook Peter’s hand and said, “I am leaving my work in your hands. Take care of these people. Don’t let them forget about God.” Peter did just that. He and the other catechists helped to keep the Catholic faith alive. Peter learned some Japanese and was able to get along well with the Japanese Naval Authorities. But then the Military Police took over. They thought the Christians were praying for a Japanese defeat. Christian worship was forbidden, and a decree was issued that the people should go back to the ancient practice of a man having more than one wife. Peter publicly protested this. Peter continued holding his prayer meetings, but in smaller, less noticeable groups. He encouraged his parish community to keep praying and to have faith. That was his work as a catechist. Peter was arrested when the Japanese Military Police found out he was organizing prayer groups. His family came to the prison every day to bring him food. Methodist and Catholic chiefs of different tribes tried to have Peter released, but could not. Peter told them, “Don’t worry. I’m a catechist. If I die, I die for the faith.” In July, 1945, Peter was given a lethal injection by a Japanese doctor. A fellow prisoner watching from a distance reported Peter ToRot’s death to the other prisoners. His family was called to take his body home to bury it. The crowd that gathered for the simple funeral proclaimed Peter a martyr for the faith. After an investigation, the Church agreed. Pope John Paul II proclaimed him a blessed on January 17, 1995. ❦ Blessed Peter ToRot considered himself a simple catechist, just doing his duty. But he was faithful to his duty in very difficult circumstances. His faith was clear and decisive, and he bravely stood up to defend it. He was a model of faithfulness for the people he catechized. He’s also a model for us.
Posted on: Sat, 20 Jul 2013 02:45:30 +0000
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