Saint Joseph Vaz - Revision history

Pdewan: /* See also */

2023-01-12T18:03:11Z

‎See also

Pdewan at 17:28, 9 January 2023

2023-01-09T17:28:27Z

Pdewan: /* See also */

2016-01-14T19:56:08Z

‎See also

Pdewan: /* The authors of this article are … */

2015-01-15T22:07:14Z

‎The authors of this article are …

Pdewan: /* Did the Pope really ‘bend’ rules? */

2015-01-15T22:05:49Z

‎Did the Pope really ‘bend’ rules?

Pdewan: /* Canonisation */

2015-01-15T22:05:12Z

‎Canonisation

Pdewan: /* Towards Canonisation */

2015-01-15T21:57:07Z

‎Towards Canonisation

Pdewan: /* Timeline */

2015-01-15T21:45:37Z

‎Timeline

Pdewan: /* The authors of this article are … */

2015-01-15T19:35:45Z

‎The authors of this article are …

Pdewan at 14:08, 15 January 2015

2015-01-15T14:08:53Z

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 =See also =
 [[Catholic saints and blesseds: India]] for a complete list, as well as links to the biographies of other Christian saints and blesseds
 [[Syrian Christian]]
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 SAINT JOSEPH VAZ]]
 [[Category:Sri Lanka|V
 SAINT JOSEPH VAZ]]

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 [[File: joseph-vaz-Meeting wild elephants.jpg|The Government of Sri Lanka very graciously minted a postage stamp in honour of Joseph Vaz (left). On the right is Pope John Paul II. |frame|500px]]
 [[File: joseph-vaz-toi.jpg| Graphic: [http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Gallery.aspx?id=15_01_2015_010_024_012&type=P&artUrl=SAINT-OF-THE-SOIL-Pope-declares-17th-century-15012015010024&eid=31808 ''The Times of India'']|frame|500px]]
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 This is a collection of articles archived for the excellence of their content.<br/>
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-[[Category:Sri Lanka |V ]]
-[[Category:India |V ]]
-[[Category:Religion |V ]]
 =The authors of this article are …=
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 [[The Bombay East Indian Association ]]

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 [[Mizoram 1870-1926: Christianity and literacy ]]
-[[East Indans (Catholics) ]]
+[[East Indians (Catholics)]]
 [[The Bombay East Indian Association ]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:07, 15 January 2015
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	[http://www.ibtimes.co.in/pope-gives-sri-lankas-first-catholic-saint-joseph-vaz-indian-priest-who-was-mistaken-spy-620311 Mangala Dilip, IBTimes] January 14, 2015		[http://www.ibtimes.co.in/pope-gives-sri-lankas-first-catholic-saint-joseph-vaz-indian-priest-who-was-mistaken-spy-620311 Mangala Dilip, IBTimes] January 14, 2015
		+
		+	[http://www.getreligion.org/getreligion/2015/1/15/correction-associate-press-misses-a-key-detail-in-story-about-canonization-of-joseph-vaz-of-sri-lanka Get Religion]

	[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Pope-Francis-declares-Goan-priest-Blessed-Joseph-Vaz-saint/articleshow/45881907.cms Paul Fernandes,TNN, ''The Times of India''] \| Jan 14, 2015		[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Pope-Francis-declares-Goan-priest-Blessed-Joseph-Vaz-saint/articleshow/45881907.cms Paul Fernandes,TNN, ''The Times of India''] \| Jan 14, 2015

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 “But Francis bent the rules in the case of Vaz, using the same process he applied to canonize St John XXIII without a second miracle attributed to his intercession,” reported AP.
 ==Did the Pope really ‘bend’ rules?==
-No. Because he church has never required evidence of miracles when there is a case that the person died as a martyr, either by execution or under the duress of a lifetime of persecution and suffering.
+No. Because the church has never required evidence of miracles when there is a case that the person died as a martyr, either by execution or under the duress of a lifetime of persecution and suffering.
 The Vatican agreed that Blessed Joseph Vaz could be classed as a Martyr like those martyrs in the Roman Martyrology who were not killed but lived and died under persecution. These Martyrs were canonised without the final miracle.

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 “But Francis bent the rules in the case of Vaz, using the same process he applied to canonize St John XXIII without a second miracle attributed to his intercession,” reported AP.
 =Belongs to both Goa and Sri Lanka=
 When  Pope Francis officially approved the canonization of Blessed Joseph Vaz, the question arose as to whether Blessed Joseph Vaz would now be considered a saint “belonging” to Sri Lanka, the place where he worked and died, or Goa, the place of his birth and his priesthood?

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 , 16/ 17 January: The Goan priest died  of illness, late night, at the age of 60 and was buried in the church which was erected by him, in Kandy, Sri Lanka. Due to the size of the crowds of mourners, his body had to be exposed for three days
 ==Towards Canonisation==
 : Pursuit of his Cause begins.
-, 13 May  ''' Venerated '''  by Pope John Paul II
+, 13 May:  ''' Venerated '''  by Pope John Paul II
 , January 21: ''' beatified ''' by Pope John Paull II, in Colombo.

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 =Timeline=
-, 21 April:  Born  in Benaulim (Goa, India) to a devout and pious Catholic couple. Joseph's father saw a star in the sky during mid of a day when he was born and he wrote in his diary that his son will become a great man.
+==Early life and career==
 ''The Friday Boy ''
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 St. Joseph Vaz is known as the 'Friday boy' because he was born on a Friday, all his major miracles were performed on Fridays and at last he breathed his last breath also on a Friday.
-: Ordained a priest in Goa
+Attended primary and secondary school in Sancoale, where he learned Portugese, and Benaulim, where he learned Latin. He studied humanities at the Jesuit Goa University, philosophy and theology at Saint Thomas Aquinas Academy.
 ''Mother Mary's Servant''
-When Blessed Joseph Vaz took the vows of priesthood, he signed a letter with his blood dedicating his life to Mother Mary.
+: When Blessed Joseph Vaz took the vows of priesthood, he signed a letter with his blood dedicating his life to Mother Mary. He sealed it with a document known as his “Letter of Enslavement”.
-Shortly thereafter, he volunteered to go to Sri Lanka where the Dutch were persecuting Catholics and had banned all priests from entering the island. The Chapter of Goa refused his offer because the mission would have meant certain death for him.
+Instead, he was asked to go to the mission in Kanara. He accepted, but his thoughts and heart were in Ceylon. Vicar of Vara in Kanara, preaching, hearing confessions, visiting the sick, helping the poor, ransoming Christian slaves, working to settle jurisictional disputes that interfered with the sacraments.
 :- appointed as a Vicar of the Canara.
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 - Is sent to rescue the almost extinct mission in Kanara, present-day Karnataka in India. Rebuilds the Church in Mangalore and Kanara, establishes missions, tends to the sick, ransoms prisoners.
-- Returns to Goa and joins a band of native Indian priests who formed a community.
+- St Vaz returns to Goa and joins a band of native Indian priests who formed a community.
-- Founds a religious Congregation, the 'Oratory of St. Philip Neri', on September 25.
+- St Vaz  founds a religious Congregation, the 'Oratory of St. Philip Neri', on September 25.
-- Leaves Goa secretly and sets out for Sri Lanka, which in 2015 was home to up to 1.2 million Catholics
+A small congregation of priests had formed in Goa with the Church of the Holy Cross of Miracles as their residence. Joseph joined and was elected superior. He gave a definitive canonical status to this Oratory, introduced religious exercises and charitable activities, and trained its members for the mission. In 1686 he gave up his position, and set out for Ceylon.
-- Arrives in Jaffna in the Tamil region of Sri Lanka, with a servant, John Vaz, both disguised as coolies. He works with a price on his head.
+- Disguised as an itinerant worker, he reached the port of Tuticorin on Easter 1687, and then the Dutch stronghold of Jaffna in the north of the Ceylon. St Vaz arrived in Jaffna in the Tamil region of Sri Lanka, with a servant, John Vaz, both disguised as coolies. He worked with a price on his head.
-St Vaz first entered the island country after travelling from his hometown Goa in India, disguised as a porter,
+He suffered from acute dysentery, contracted from the terrible travelling conditions, and upon recovery he began his mission by contacting Catholics and hiding from the Dutch. He was taken in by a courageous Catholic, and ministered to his secret flock by night. One step ahead of the authorities, in 1689 he went to the Catholic village of Sillalai and began ministering to folks in surrounding villages.
-The Wall Street Journal reports.
 - Is almost captured by the Dutch and is advised to go to Kandy. Is brought into Kandy in chains and imprisoned as a Portuguese spy by the Buddhist King, Vimaladharna Surya II.
-Mistaking him for a Portugese spy, the Dutch officials had imprisoned him in 1691, and was sent to the central province of Kandy.
+He was going to Kandy, hoping to obtain royal permission to travel freely. Instead, he was preceded by Calvinist accusations of being a Portugese spy, and was imprisoned with two other Catholics. There he learned Sinhala, the local language, and since the prison guards left the prisoners alone as long as they didn’t try to escape, he built a hut-church and later a proper church dedicated to Our Lady, and began converting other prisoners.
-- Works a miracle of rain during a severe drought. The King releases him and gives him protection and freedom to preach in his kingdom. As in Goa and in Mangalore, is often seen in ecstasy in prayer. The people call him "Sammana Swami" or Angelic Father. He was let go by the Buddhist King Vimaladharna Surya II, believing that he miraculously ended a drought by bringing rain through prayer.
+Making the most of his new-found freedom, he made a mission visit to the Dutch zone and visited Catholics in Colombo.
 Fearing that the Portuguese might try to win back the colony, which was under the Dutch rule, under the pretext of protecting the Church, the Dutch launched a fierce campaign to wipe out every trace of the faith in Sri Lanka. All priests were expelled from the island nation, and a few who resisted even wound up dead.
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 St Vaz founded several churches and chapels, helping revive the faith amidst persecution of Catholics by Calvinists.
-- Is joined by three of his Indian Oratorians from Goa. During a small-pox epidemic in Kandy, the King and the people flee the capital. Fr. Vaz and Fr. Carvalho, tend to the dying and abandoned victims for almost two years.
+- Is joined by three of his Indian Oratorians from the Oratory of Goa. They gave him the news that Don Pedro Pacheco, Bishop of Cochin, had appointed him Vicar General in Ceylon.
-- Dedicates the Shrine of Our Lady of Madhu.
+During a small-pox epidemic in Kandy, the King and the people flee the capital. Fr. Vaz and Fr. Carvalho, tend to the dying and abandoned victims for almost two years. He was organizing the basic mission structure when smallpox broke out in Kandy. His work with the sick convinced the king to allow Father Joseph every possible freedom in his labours.
-, 16 January: The Goan priest dies  of illness at the age of 60 and is buried in the church which was erected by him, in Kandy, Sri Lanka
+Joseph carried his mission to the main centres of the island.
-, January 21: beatified by Pope John Paull II, in Colombo.
+: He returned to Kandy with Father Joseph de Carvalho who had been expelled at the instigation of Buddhist monks. He completed the construction of his new church, and went into service for the king, translating Portuguese books into Sinhala. From this vantage point, he intensified his ministry, and converted some Sinhalese notables, which gave rise to slanders against him and persecution of converts.
-Declared as: Apostle of Sri Lanka, Patron of Archdiocese of Goa, Daman
+: New missionaries arrived in, which enabled him to organize the mission into eight districts, each led by a priest. He worked on the creation of a Catholic literature comparable to that of the Buddhists, and to affirm the rights of Catholics with the Dutch Protestant Government.
 , January 14: Pope Francis declared Blessed Joseph Vaz a saint at an Eucharistic celebration at Galle face green park. Church bells rang and lakh of people clapped as Pope Francis said, "We declare and define Blessed Joseph Vaz to be Saint and we enroll him among the Saints, decreeing that he is to be venerated as such by the whole Church."
 Pope Francis lauded the perservance and hard work of Vaz, stating that he lived as a true icon of the Lord's Word.
 =Early mission=
 Vaz was a priest of the Oratory of St Philip Neri, where he founded the Oratory of the Holy Cross of Miracles in Goa. He chose to work in Sri Lanka due to persecution of Catholics by Dutch colonial rulers, when Calvinism was the official religion. He has been credited for having revived the Catholic faith in the country.

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 =The authors of this article are …=
 [http://www.josephnaikvaz.org/ Joseph Naik Vaz Institute, California]
 [http://www.heraldgoa.in/Goa/Pope-approves-canonisation-of-Goa-born-Bl-Joseph-Vaz/78649.html  Melvyn Misquita, Herald Goa] 18 Sep, 2014, teamherald@herald-goa.com
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 [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Pope-Francis-declares-Goan-priest-Blessed-Joseph-Vaz-saint/articleshow/45881907.cms  Paul Fernandes,TNN, ''The Times of India''] | Jan 14, 2015
 =Timeline=
 , 21 April:  Born  in Benaulim (Goa, India) to a devout and pious Catholic couple. Joseph's father saw a star in the sky during mid of a day when he was born and he wrote in his diary that his son will become a great man.