OCEANIA/PAPUA NEW GUINEA - The nation gathers around St. Peter To Rot. Cardinal Ribat. "A gift for the Church and for the world"

Rabaul (Agenzia Fides) – More than two thousand pilgrims participated in the thanksgiving celebrations in honor of Saint Peter To Rot, catechist and martyr canonized on October 19 in St. Peter’s Basilica by Pope Leo XIV. From December 11 to 14, the Catholic bishops of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands gathered in Rabaul, along with thousands of faithful from across the country, to visit the saint’s birthplace and celebrate a solemn Mass, presided over by Cardinal John Ribat, who reiterated that To Rot is “a gift for the Church in Papua New Guinea and for the whole world.” Contacted by Fides, the Cardinal declared: “We experienced the canonization of To Rot with joy and as a moment of abundant blessing, which our saint bestows today upon the people of Papua New Guinea.” “His presence,” he added, “represents for us the witness of being part of a history of holiness that permeates our land and the entire world. Now we too are a grain of sand in the history of holiness and salvation that the Lord is writing.”
The Cardinal observed that faith in Papua, and therefore the path of Saint Peter To Rot, “is the fruit of the work of the missionaries who have led us to Jesus Christ,” recalling that the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart (MSC) arrived in Rabaul in 1882, when Father Jules Chevalier, founder of the congregation, accepted Pope Leo XIII’s invitation to evangelize territories such as Melanesia and Micronesia.
“Now, more than a hundred years later,” he noted, “another Pope Leo, in perfect continuity, has recognized one of our saints: for us in Papua New Guinea, this is a historic milestone that tells us that God has done great things for us. We feel encouraged and blessed.” Saint Peter To Rot, Cardinal Ribat added, “reminds us that faith is lived in the family: he was a father and, as a catechist, he understood God’s command to remain faithful to the Lord and to keep the family and the community united during a difficult time in the Pacific.” “His story speaks to families today, in our context: let God be a part of your life. Even though the world changes, God’s truth for us remains the same: his love and his salvation.”
The Cardinal concluded: “To Rot was faithful to the end, a credible and authentic witness.” Thanks to him and his legacy, the Church in Papua New Guinea is alive and flourishing today: with some 2.5 million Catholics, our community is fully committed to social work in the fields of education and health, thus contributing to the human, moral, social, and spiritual growth and development of the nation. (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 16/12/2025)

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