His Missions

HIS MISSION

HIS MISSION TO GO TO SRI LANKA (CEYLON):

With his fame so well established, he dreamt of crossing over to Sri Lanka, but the Cathedral then governing the Archdiocese of Goa, thought he was better fitted to wage the Padroado war, so he was dispatched to Mangalore where the ecclesiastical war known as Padroado Propaganda war was raging fiercely. Our hero, using the rules of Ignatian discernment, took the wind out of the sail, and, making a compromise with Dom Thomas de Castro, who had been appointed Bishop of Mangalore by the Propaganda, zealously fed the sheep with the spiritual pasture of doctrine and sacraments. He went about erecting new churches, reconciling hardened sinners, administering to the sick and the dying, releasing Christians from the bonds of slavery--in a word went about, like the Good Shepherd, doing immense good. Fearing he might be ultimately forced to serve two masters, he quietly returned to Goa, only to incur the displeasure of the Archbishop. But the Jesuits who had known him in the missions bore witness to his heroic sanctity, as a result of which the Archbishop softened his stand against him.

In 1682 a seasoned priest from Margao, Fr. Pascoal da Costa Jeremias, with two more priests and a deacon, took shelter in the Chapel of S. Joao do Deserto, Batim and with the permission of the Archbishop began common life. They had no proper rules. The Chapel gave way within less than two years, hence they shifted to the Church of Santa Cruz dos Milagres, so known because the Lord, appeared there on the Cross several times in 1619. On hearing this news Fr. Joseph Vaz joined them on 25-09-1685. He immediately sought to obtain from Lisbon, rules of the Oratory founded by Philip Neri through Fr. Bartolomeu de Quental. He was soon elected Superior of the community which began to grow.

After six months Fr. Joseph Vaz left Goa for Sri Lanka with Fr. Paulo de Souza and Brother Estevao Sequeira and a village boy by name "Joao". The four went down via Karwar, Honavar, etc. to Mangalore teaching, healing, administering on the way to the thirsty Christian communities long deprived of spiritual food.

| Home | The Great Indian Missionary |

Contact: Rector (Vice Postulator - Goa)

Sanctuary of Blessed Joseph Vaz, 413 Blessed Joseph Vaz Road, P. O. Cortalim, SANCOALE - Goa - 403710-INDIA

Contact Office Tel: 00 91 832 2550263 / 2550517 e-mail: sanjovaz@blessedjosephvaz.org [www.blessedjosephvaz.org]