Sr Molly Fernandes

Sancoale, Apr 22: The 375th birth anniversary of St Joseph Vaz, the ‘Patron of Goa’ and ‘Apostle of Sri Lanka’, was celebrated with deep spiritual fervour at his sanctuary in Sancoale. The evening began with a Concelebrated Mass presided over by Fr Peter Britto, alongside Fr Kenneth Teles and Fr Christopher. The event drew devotees together to honour the Goan saint who became a beacon of faith in Asia.

Fr Kenneth delivered a moving sermon, with a call to fearless faith, weaving together the life of St Joseph Vaz with the day’s liturgy and the martyrdom of St Stephen.

He highlighted three core truths from the readings:

1. Divine fear over human fear: Like St Stephen, who proclaimed the crucified Christ without fear of his persecutors, St Joseph Vaz operated in a hostile environment, trusting God above all earthly authority.

2. The spirit of forgiveness: Fr Kenneth drew parallels between Jesus’ words on the Cross and Stephen’s final prayer, asking God not to hold the sin against his executioners—a radical surrender of the soul.

3. Faithfulness to tradition: The preacher noted Saul’s (St Paul’s) initial staunch faithfulness to Jewish law. He emphasized that just as Saul was zealous for his heritage, we are called to be equally steadfast in our witness to Christ.

Fr Teles, further explored the unique missionary identity of St Joseph Vaz – the missionary of unity, through four key pillars:

• Incarnational mission: As an ‘Asian in an Asian land’, he renounced his comfortable background to take the form of the poor. He mastered local languages and cultures to bridge the gap between the Gospel and the people.

• Service without distinction: He won the hearts of local authorities and the king not through compromise, but through selfless service to all — Buddhists, Hindus, and Muslims alike — especially during times of plague and famine.

• Master of the hidden Church: Operating under the ‘Hidden Church’, he built the Body of Christ in Sri Lanka in secrecy, using various forms as a coolie, fisherfolk, etc, establishing an incredible 300 churches and chapels during his short span of life as a missionary.

• The letter of bondage: His strength was attributed to his total surrender to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Through his ‘Letter of Bondage’, he offered himself as a slave to Mary, believing that his mission was only possible through her maternal intercession.

Fr Kenneth concluded by praying that the same fire of faith St Joseph Vaz ignited in Sri Lanka would continue to burn brightly in his homeland of Sancoale.

The parish priest Fr Kenneth thanked everyone who made this day a memorable one.

Following the spiritual nourishment of the Eucharist, the community transitioned to a joyful celebration. A commemorative birthday cake was cut, shared with those celebrating their own birthdays that day. The evening ended in a spirit of communion as the faithful dispersed, carrying with them the message of St Joseph Vaz’s courage and unity.