Missionary

How a Catholic Missionary Was Killed by Japs

THE following account of how the mis sionary, Father Gerard "Weber, SM, of Tunuru, Bougainville. Northern Solomons, was murdered by Japs, was written by Monsignor James H. Hannan.

Monsignor Hannan, who was National Director, in Australia, of Catholic Mis sion Works, during the war* is now in charge of Catholic Mission activities, at Torokina, Bougainville : FATHER WEBER worked with his people, despite many and humiliating experiences at the hands of the Japanese, right up to Easter, 1945. From the previous Christmas he had made his headquarters in Kopani, conducting a school for the natives, making a number of converts. On Low Sunday he left there to go to Bito to give the people the opportunity of making their Easter duty. One week there and he went on to Tarara to hear confessions and give Holy Communion. All travelling wajs done, of course, by foot, through jungles and over mountain trails.

From Tarara, Father Weber returned to Bito. In the meantime, the comman dant of the Japanese Secret Police in the Kieta area had died. He had been more or less tolerant towards the mission ary, and it was this Sergeant-Major Sato who had sent him up to Kopani.

The Japanese Secret Police officer from Numa Numa, who came to take his place, found among the letters on Sato’s desk an order directing Father Weber to re turn to Numa. He was arrested imme diately he reached Bito.

A number of Catholic natives who had come from Tarara, carrying the priest’s baggage, were instructed to follow the police party. Sometime later, as they came to a road leading inland, they found a guard who ordered them to wait with the baggage, as Father Weber had gone up the road with an officer. Shortly afterwards, they were ordered to carry the baggage to a place further on, as

“the priest was proceeding to Numa Numa by pinnace.” They were then sent home.

One week later, Kino, a Jap officer from Numa, who was on patrol, camped at Tarara. The natives noticed that the soldiers had a number of articles belong ing to Father Weber, including his soutane. Kino further requested the chief Catechist to bring him Father Weber’s mosquito-net.

To this, and the possession of the priest’s effects on the soldiers, the natives strenuously objected. Their objections were met with the statement that Father Weber “did not need any of these things now, as he had gone in a boat to Bruin (Japanese HQ), where he would find everything he wanted.”

The people of Tarara knew the Jap anese too well to be convinced of this; but, of necessity, they had to accept the statement. Immediately after the sur render, however, they sent out parties to try and find some trace of the Father they had known so well. Going up the road where the bearers had been told to wait with the luggage, one party found a Japanese cemetery with one grave apart from the others. Opening the grave they found glasses, a hat, khaki clothes which they recognised as Father Weber’s. In the grave was a body, de capitated, with the severed head resting on the chest.

There, on that lonely road, the faith ful servant had gone to meet his God.

The little party gathered together the pathetic remains and brought them to Tarara, to await the arrival of a priest.

On Father Muller’s arrival, he told them to take the body of Father Weber to his old mission station at Tumuru. There, with Requiem Mass and Solemn Burial, the remains of the martyed priest were laid to rest in death with the people to whom he had given his years of life.