Sent on behalf of the Joseph Naik Vaz Institute
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- St. Joseph Vaz, model for a new India and a new generation? All Saints Day is a significant day on which to reflect about the kind of role model our Goan saint, St. Joseph Vaz (1651-1711) is for the new and rising generation of young Goans. He was canonized by H.H. Pope Francis in January 2015 and declared the Patron of the Archdiocese of Goa. Both are "firsts" for a Goan. St. Joseph Vaz has been called “a Saint for the New India”. He broke the mold of European saints accompanying colonial conquerors to India. He was a fully native Indian missionary, preached and wrote in his own native tongue Konkani, and made himself fluent in both Tamil and the Sinhala language of Sri Lanka. He worked under the protection of a native ruler, spreading the Gospel and saving the Catholic faith during the Dutch persecution in Sri Lanka. His selfless life gained him the protection of the Buddhist King of Kandy. And when enemies plotted to have him expelled from the Buddhist capital, he was saved from expulsion by the Muslim physician of the King. He represents the Goan spirit of tolerance and spirit of getting along with peoples of different races, cultures, and religions which has helped us thrive in many countries around the world. On this All Saints Day, we ask you to join the "Community of St. Joseph Vaz" to pray and reflect on the inclusion of more Indian and Sri Lankan Saints in the Catholic Calendar of Saints. We especially invite you to pray for the Beatification and Canonization of Venerable Fr. Agnelo de Souza (1869-1927) and for the causes of Fr. Jacome Goncalves (1676-1742), Oratorian Companion of St. Joseph Vaz in Sri Lanka, of the Martyrs of Mannar of Sri Lanka, and of Fr. Bento Martins, a founder of the Pilar Fathers. We hope that you will join us for our annual Feast Mass celebration for St. Joseph Vaz and in honor of our saintly Goan ancestors. The feast is on January 16, 2017 but the date, place, and time of the Mass celebration will be announced. Thank you. Joseph Naik Vaz Institute Berkeley, California http://josephnaikvaz.org/
