New Guinea Martyrs’ Day commemorated across the country
Tuesday 2nd September was New Guinea Martyrs Day, which commemorates the 12 Anglican Martyrs who died in Papua New Guinea during WWII. The Anglican Church of PNG grew out of the mission field that the martyrs served in and it continues their ministry of bringing light into darkness.
In Adelaide, students from St Columba College’s Lashmar House, named after Lila Lashmar, one of the martyrs, read the prayers during the Martyrs Day service attended by 60 people. The students and staff from St Columba’s College were joined by ABM supporters who listened to ABM’s Education Missioner, the Rev’d Canon Stephen Daughtry, preach a sermon that challenged them to find ways to love like the martyrs loved. Steve also shared about the work of the Anglican Church of PNG today that continues that legacy of showing love to individual and communities that are seeking a better life. You can read Steve’s sermon by clicking below.
Similar services were held at Holy Trinity Ararat, home of the martyr Father Henry Matthews, and St Luke’s Concord. A common sight at such services is the lighting of twelve candles, to represent the light that the legacy of the Martyrs continues to shine into the hearts of minds of us all. Many other parishes, from Southern Suburbs in the Murray Diocese to St Peter’s West End Townsville, and many in between, commemorated Martyrs Day during their regular Sunday services on either Sunday 31 August or Sunday 7 September.
The collections from these services will go to the Martyrs Gift which is raising funds for the ongoing adult literacy program and Agents of Change training, which is helping the people of PNG to lift themselves out of poverty through education. You can learn more about this work by clicking below.
Many parishes across Australia have a connection with one of the 12 New Guinea Martyrs. ABM would welcome a photo of any memorial window or plaque and short description of your parish’s connection with the New Guinea Martyr. Please send them to info@abmission.org.au.
ABM’s Stephen Daughtry (far L) with SA Provincial ABM Committee Chair, The Rev’d Paul Devenport (second from L), St Columba College Principal Darren Pitt (third from left) with college staff and Lashmar House student leaders. © ABM, Meagan Schwarz.
At St Luke’s Concord, twelve candles were lit, representing the 12 New Guinea Martyrs. The table is covered in Tapa cloth, a traditional decorated bark cloth made in the area where the Martyrs were killed. © Moya Holle, used with permission.
