Saint Joseph Vaz: Persevering in God’s Paths
Then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God. But the Apostles went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through accompanying signs.
—Mark 16:19-20
Since his election in March 2013, Pope Francis has, of course, continued the millennia-old tradition of popes canonizing saints. However, since his election, he has taken the unusual step of waiving the requisite second miracle that is generally required before an individual is granted the title “Saint.” As he observed in a 2015 interview, he specifically chose to move forward with the canonization of some of these saints because of their work as evangelizers. Among those saints chosen for “equipolent canonization” by Pope Francis, we find the Counter-Reformation era Jesuit Peter Faber, the Brazilian missionary José de Anchieta, and the Ursuline Sister Marie of the Incarnation and the bishop François de Montmorency-Laval, both of whom could be honored as the founders of the Catholic Church in Canada. Reflecting on these new saints, Pope Francis explained,
“These are people who did a lot of evangelization and who are in line with the spirituality and theology of ‘Evangelii Gaudium’, that is the reason why I chose them.”
Also included in this group of specially chosen saints is Saint Joseph Vaz, the “Apostle of Sri Lanka,” who was canonized on January 14, 2015.
Joseph was born in Goa, India, in 1651. The child of devout parents from a prominent family, he was sent to study at the Jesuit College of St. Paul, in Goa, where he received degrees in both theology and philosophy. Ordained to the priesthood in 1676, he began living among the poor and acquired a reputation as a popular preacher and confessor. He soon opened a Latin school in Sancoale for prospective seminarians and began to feel drawn to serve as a missionary to the small underground Catholic community in Sri Lanka (then known as Ceylon).
“Humanity is loved by God! This very simple yet profound proclamation is owed to humanity by the Church. Each Christian's words and life must make this proclamation resound: God loves you, Christ came for you, Christ is for you ‘the Way, the Truth and the Life’!”
-Pope Saint John Paul II, Christefidelis Laici, no, 34
Joseph’s superiors were reluctant to give Joseph the permission he needed to take on this special mission and he was subsequently sent to serve the small Christian community of India’s Canara region. Returning to Goa in 1685, he joined the Congregation of the Oratory (the “Oratorians”) and, finally, in 1686, he began his mission to the Catholics of Sri Lanka, then suffering persecution at the hands of the Dutch (Protestant) colonial authorities.
This was a clandestine ministry and Father Vaz worked in disguise as he traveled from village to village, preaching and celebrating Mass. After spending time in a colonial prison because of his missionary work, he was eventually joined by other Oratorian priests who built upon the strong foundation laid by Father Vaz.
Revered by Catholics and Protestants alike for his tireless works of charity, wisdom, and holiness, Joseph Vaz died at Kandy, Sri Lanka, on January 16, 1711. The Church celebrates the memory of Saint Joseph Vaz on January 16.
In his homily at the canonization of Saint Joseph Vaz, Pope Franics reminded us:
“In Saint Joseph we see a powerful sign of God’s goodness and love for the people of Sri Lanka. But we also see in him a challenge to persevere in the paths of the Gospel, to grow in holiness ourselves, and to testify to the Gospel message of reconciliation to which he dedicated his life.”
This challenge isn’t just the responsibility of select groups within the Church. Rather, each of us is called to do our part to help make the message of God’s love known in our small corner of the world: within our relationships and families, in our schools and workplaces, and, of course, within our church communities. With this in mind, set aside some time to reflect on how you are being called to make the Savior known in your own time and place. Pray for the grace to recognize opportunities to share the Good News of your faith and ask God to bless and sustain those missionaries who—like Saint Joseph Vaz—have dedicated their lives to proclaiming the Gospel at home and abroad.
A Prayer in Honor of Saint Joseph Vaz +
O God, by whose untold mercy blessed Joseph Vaz preached the good news of the unfathomable riches of Christ, grant that through his intercession we may grow in knowledge of you and, bearing fruit in every good work, faithfully walk in your presence, in accord with the truth of the Gospel. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
-from The Roman Missal: Common of Pastors—For Missionaries [3]
