Panaji: The Portuguese strengthened the roots of Christianity in Goa and introduced the faith in Sri Lanka, but it was St Joseph Vaz, an indigenous priest, who worked with a vision ahead of his times in reviving the Church in the island. More than three centuries later, the illustrious Goan priest continues to inspire Lankan Catholics, Goan clergy, laity and others alike as a great missionary and a visionary. The Diocesan-National celebration in honour of St Joseph Vaz on being conferred sainthood will be held on Saturday, September 26, 2015 in Old Goa. The mood around the Se Cathedral at Old Goa was upbeat as it braced to greet over nine bishops, hundreds of priests, religious and devotees to the celebration in honour of St Joseph Vaz on being conferred sainthood earlier this year in Sri Lanka by Pope Francis. Cardinal Oswald Gracias will be the main celebrant at the Eucharistic celebration on the occasion, The Times of India reported. “What new teachings of communal harmony, cultural assimilation and other values that Vatican would come out with in its Vatican II document in the 20th century, St Joseph Vaz had already implemented them in the 17th century,” says Fr Eremita Rebello, rector of sanctuary of St Joseph Vaz, Sancoale said. It is said that the Portuguese missionaries introduced Catholic religion to Sri Lanka during their rule from 1505 to 1658 till the Dutch ousted them. When Vaz landed on the island nation in 1687, there were no priests there for almost 30 years. “St Vaz revived the dying faith and tried to indigenize the Church to reach more people. He entrusted the responsibility of translating the books and teachings in Tamil and Sri Lanka to Fr Jacome Gonsalves,” Fr Eremita Rebello, rector of sanctuary of St Joseph Vaz, Sancoale said. Vatican Second defines the approach of the Church towards other religions, learning the laws, customs and the culture of the locals and implanting the Christian teachings through the people’s cultures, points out the former vice postulator for the cause of canonization of then Blessed Joseph Vaz. Fr Gonsalves, another illustrious Goan priest and like St Vaz, a missionary of Congregation of Oratory of the Holy Miraculous Cross, was the fourth successor to Fr Vaz in Sri Lanka. In Goa, as elsewhere, Christian teachings and masses were in Latin after Portuguese landed here in the 16th century. It was only after Vatican II was issued in mid-1960s that the local language, Konkani was used for church ceremonies and masses. St Francis Xavier worked as a missionary in Goa and the East but he is not referred to as the founder of the Church here. The Catholic religion is known to have taken roots earlier. “But St Joseph Vaz is hailed as the second founder of the church in Sri Lanka,” Rebello said. The Goan saint travelled barefoot all over the island in disguise amidst the heat of persecution faced by Roman Catholics from the Dutch rulers. He moved door to door, forming small communities, teaching in the local languages and ministering to the poor, serving as a nurse, cook, doctor and gravedigger to all communities during the epidemic of small pox. The king of Sri Lanka himself lived in the jungle to escape death from the dreaded disease. As all missionaries face difficult conditions, St Francis Xavier also faced hostility in some places despite the Portuguese patronage. “In that context, the work of St Vaz carried out with a vision which was beyond time and not under any political patronage shows his dedication to the cause

of Christ and the Church,” says Fr Francis Caldeira, editor the church organ, Renovacao. Pope John Paul II also commended Vaz during his beatification in Colombo on January 21, 1995. “Fr Vaz was a worthy heir of St Francis Xavier, he was also a true sone of his native Goa, outstanding for its deep Christian and missionary traditions. Fr Vaz was a son of Asia who became a missionary in Asia,” he said during the homily. The methods he employed were rather odd and may not have been approved by the Church at that time. “He did his work as a missionary without priestly robes, but followed Christ’s instructions of going from house to house and celebrating mass under camouflage,” Fr Caldeira said. The fourth Indian saint and the first missionary in the East is hailed for his exemplary life of humility. “St Vaz stands out among all the missionaries the Catholic church in Goa and India has produced as the greatest missionary,” Rebello concluded.