Was Goa sidelined at the Canonization Mass?

A group of Goan devotees attend the canonization of
St Joseph Vaz in Colombo, Sri Lanka on January 14, 2015.

MELVYN MISQUITA
13 FEB 2015
PORVORIM

It was a month ago that over a thousand Goan devotees and pilgrims had participated in the historic canonization of St Joseph Vaz by Pope Francis in Sri Lanka.

But the joy of witnessing their illustrious son of the soil elevated as Goa’s first saint in the Roman Catholic Church on January 14 was also accompanied with a tinge of sadness.

There is a growing belief among a number of priests and people, who attended the canonization ceremony and those who witnessed live coverage on TV and internet here in the State, that Goa was sidelined to a considerable extent at the Canonization Mass at Colombo in Sri Lanka.

Incidentally, the only contribution allotted to Goa – a Konkani hymn dedicated to St Joseph Vaz – was sung well after the Mass had ended and the pope and his entourage had left. Not many may be aware that the hymn was included at the last moment and that too, only after the persistent intervention of a prominent Goan tour operator.

Some have pointed out that Goa’s Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao did read out a short biography of St Joseph Vaz, but a priest told Herald that it was not an option left before the mass organisers.

“Archbishop Ferrao had to read out the biography as a necessary requirement during the rite of canonization, especially since the Goa archdiocese had jointly postulated the cause for the beatification and canonization of St Joseph Vaz,” said a senior priest, who spoke on anonymity.

“More significantly, there was no commentator who identified Archbishop Ferrao before he presented the short biography of St Joseph Vaz. As a result, the multitude of Sri Lankan devotees did not even know the identity of the bishop addressing the Holy Father at the time,” the priest added.

The only mention to the Goan presence at the Mass was a brief acknowledgment of Goa by Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith towards the end of the mass.

When contacted, some priests and laity attending or viewing the canonization ceremony insisted that Goa should have been given a more prominent role in the Canonization Mass, given the fact that Goa had also promoted the cause for the canonization of St Joseph Vaz.

Many of them claim that Goa’s contribution to the life and times of St Joseph Vaz could not, and should not, have been forgotten by Sri Lannka.

Consider their arguments in favour of Goa’s contribution: Goa gave Joseph Vaz to Sri Lanka and even sent a number of Goan Oratorian priests, including two Goan bishops, to serve the Catholic community in Sri Lanka. Besides, Goa played a key role in the cause for canonization of Joseph Vaz and had actively promoted the veneration of St Joseph Vaz.

In fact, the cause to promote the beatification, and subsequent canonization, was officially described as the ‘Kandyan or Goan Cause of Beatification and Canonization of the Servant of God Joseph Vaz, Priest of the Oratory of St. Philip Neri (1651-1711).’ In this sense, Goa had as much a role to play in the canonization of St Joseph Vaz, since it too had a vice-postulator to promote the cause, just like Kandy.

Goa has maintained and preserved the original places of Joseph Vaz, even attracting many Sri Lankan devotees to Sancoale, Benaulim and Old Goa all through the year.

Goa gave the first and only miracle officially attributed to Joseph Vaz, but there was no mention that the ‘Miracle Child’ Fr Cosme Costa was present at the Mass, even though he was a special invitee to the occasion.

Incidentally, Sri Lankan twins from Connecticut (USA), whose births were attributed (though not officially recognized by Vatican) to a miracle through the intercession of Saint Joseph Vaz, were also given a role at the offertory procession.
 
“It would have been wonderful had there been some mention to the million-odd packed congregation that the ‘Miracle Child’ Fr Cosme Costa was in their midst on this special occasion. After all, Fr Costa’s miracle birth had led to the beatification of St Joseph Vaz, propelling him on the road to sainthood,” remarked another priest.

Paul Siqueira of Zion Tours and Travels narrated his involvement that had enabled the Goan hymn to be sung after the Canonization Mass.

“Since I was responsible for sending over 500 Goan priests and lay devotees to Sri Lanka for the canonization ceremony, I had gone to Sri Lanka last month to inspect all arrangements, including hotels, tour guides and travel arrangements,” said Siqueira.

“During my trip to Sri Lanka, I met church officials in Colombo and requested them to involve Goa in some part of the canonization ceremony, given Goa’s immense contribution in the life and times of St Joseph Vaz, as well as in his beatification and canonization.”

The Sri Lanka church hierarchy politely declined efforts to involve Goa in any part of the Canonization Mass, on grounds that all arrangements had already been finalised and that no change was possible.

“Finally, I urged them to consider giving Goa the chance to sing a Konkani hymn at the end of the mass. Some days later, I was told that a Konkani hymn would be permitted only after the recessional hymn,” said Siqueira.

The last minute addition of Konkani hymn had had its consequences. Goan viewers were disappointed that the TV cameras did not capture the Goan singers performing the Konkani hymn Zuze Vasa, Amchea Bhava at the end of the Canonization Mass.

“The foreign TV crew may not have been aware that a Goan hymn would be sung after the Mass. Else, I’m sure that they would have focused on the Goan singers, just like they did when the Sri Lankan choir sang during the Mass,” said the senior priest.

There were other instances where Goans may have also been sidelined at the Canonization Mass.

While the lay devotees were made aware well in advance that seating arrangements would not be provided during the Canonization Mass, Siqueira had requested the Sri Lanka church officials to allot a section for the 1200-odd Goan devotees attending the services.

“They agreed to allot space to the Goan contingent, but when the Goan devotees reached the site, they found out that nearly half of the space allotted to the 1200 Goan devotees had already been filled by Sri Lankan devotees. There was little that we could do. That said, we Goans should be proud that we finally have a saint of our own and nobody can take that credit away from us,” says Siqueira, a proud devotee of St Joseph Vaz.

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A Response…

‘Some priests expect too much...our Goans are always sussegad’

Fr Cosme J Costa

Pilar Theological College

Pilar-Goa

Goans should not have expected special privileges in the Canonization Mass, due to the fact that the Vatican officials wanted the ceremony to be short due to the health problems of the Pope, though the Church authorities in Sri Lanka wanted to have a long ceremony where Goans were supposed to be included in the offertory procession. The papal medical personnel advised the Pope not to have a hectic schedule on the Canonization day because on the same evening he had another program at O.L of Madhu Church in Mannar and the next day a long journey to Philippines to visit for four days  the typhoon affected islands"

The Pope too wanted a short ceremony of essentials, as the people had come from 4 o'clock in the morning and by the time the Mass was over the hot sun was high up and the Pope did not want them to be in the heat.

I am sorry to say this: Some of our Goans, including priests expect too much. The President of Sri Lanka has referred to Joseph Vaz and Goa in his speech at the airport, The Pope has referred to him in his speech and homily at Mass. Cardinal Ranjith has spoken eloquently and thanked the Goa Church for the gift of St Joseph Vaz to Sri Lanka.

What more do we expect?

Who says that our Patriarch Ferrao's name was not mentioned? There were booklets distributed containing the whole ceremony in Sinhalese, Tamil and some parts in English. This booklet had it printed that the Archbishop-Patriarch of Goa would give a gist of the saint's life and that too was printed on the booklet in English!

I would also call your attention to the magnitude of the event that took place only five days after Sri Lanka came out of the troubled Presidential election. Had there been some untoward incident like firing or insecurity, what would we do? The whole program went so well, security was at its best. Is not that to be appreciated? The Church had planned the program well in advance and the Vatican officials had taken every minute detail in October and again in November. No last minute adjustments would be allowed. Please remember: generally Canonization ceremony is held in Rome, rarely in other places. And in the latter case, Vatican officials are fully involved in the planning well in advance. Would a thousand Goans get this opportunity to witness the Canonization had it taken place in Rome?

When Pope John Paul II came to Goa in 1986, two and half lakhs of people attended the Mass at Campal, Panjim. All buses were stopped. A second bridge was built at Patto to enable people to walk the long distance from bus-stand to Campal, early in the morning.  In contrast, according to the lowest estimate there were at least 5 lakhs present for the Papal Mass at Colombo. Others have reported 10 lakhs. But I have reliable information from the security people that their CCTVs had counted 10.5 lakhs. What is a thousand Goans compared to this sea of humanity? And yet they were allotted two enclosures in the front facing the Pope.

But our Goans are always sussegad. People were admitted in the venue from 5 pm on the previous day (13th). Some came walking from distant parts of Sri Lanka. Many passed the whole night in prayerful vigil for the success of the ceremony. Our sussegad Goans went sight seeing the previous day, came tired and slept in their hotels, got out at 5 am and by the time they arrived at the Galle Face Grounds, it was already past 6 am. The security people had kept the two enclaves reserved for Goans; but being Sri Lankans, it was not possible to distinguish the Goans from others.

As the crowds swelled, some entered the reserved enclaves, and so by the time our sussegad Goans arrived they found a part of the enclaves occupied. Who can be blamed for that? I saw some Goan priests even coming in after the Mass started, and did not know where to go. On the Altar dais only 120 Cardinals, Bishops and selected priests had been pre-determined and asked to give their full details a month before the event. Only they were admitted. There were over 2000 priests who concelebrated and were accommodated in the enclaves on both sides of the altar and went to distribute communion among this mass of humanity.

I am replying to your blog so that whoever reads your blog, may also know the other side of things. We Goans need to have a deep introspection when we vent out our petty feelings. Let us ask ourselves: Will Goa be able to manage an event of such a magnitude as to accommodate a million people for a papal Mass like the one in Sri Lanka? Ten lakhs means a million!

Kindly share this with those whom you are sending your blog.

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Sainthood renews hopes to revive 300-yr Oratorian order

[First appeared in the Herald - 1 February 2015]

MELVYN MISQUITA

1 FEB 2015

PANJIM 

Fr Roque da Costa, Fr Saturnino Dias and Fr Eusico Pereira
hope to revive the Oratorian movement of St Joseph Vaz in Goa.

The canonization of Goa’s first Saint Joseph Vaz has not only ushered in celebrations in the archdiocese, it has also encouraged a group of Goan priests to renew efforts to revive Asia’s first indigenous order, started by St Joseph Vaz and his companions three centuries ago.

Led by senior priest Canon Saturnino Dias, president of the Se Cathedral Chapter, attempts to revive St Joseph Vaz’s ‘Congregation of the Oratory of St Philip Neri’ in Goa had had their fair share of challenges in the archdiocese for over a decade.

Unfazed by those difficulties, Fr Dias and two other senior Goan priests, Fr Eusico Pereira (Parish Priest at Santo Estevao) and Fr Roque da Costa, (Parish Priest at Rachol) are confident that the sainthood to Joseph Vaz would now give them the much-needed impetus to revive the Oratorian movement.

St Joseph Vaz and his companions had founded the ‘Congregation of the Oratory of St Philip Neri’ in Goa in 1685. These Oratorians had served the Goa archdiocese as parish priests and preachers, manned three major seminaries (their own, Chorao and Rachol), two hospitals (Goa and Sri Lanka) and opened missions in Mangalore, Pune and Indonesia.

This Asia’s first native religious congregation came to an abrupt end in Goa around 150 years later, when religious orders were suppressed in 1835.

Inspired by the life and works of St Joseph Vaz, Fr Dias and a group of priests then decided to revive the saint’s Oratorian congregation in Goa. 

Fr Jacome Gonsalves, fellow Oratorian
and companion of St Joseph Vaz.

“I had some association with the unsuccessful attempt initiated by late Fr Edwin D'Souza of Saligão in the 1960s, but it remained dormant after I went abroad for further studies. However, my interest in the Oratory was rekindled in 1996, when I met the Procurator General of the Oratorians in Rome and he requested me to revive the Oratory in Goa. I took his request seriously and collected material from him about the Oratory,” recalled Fr Dias.

However, Fr Dias could not pursue the idea due to his engagement as parish priest of St Andrew’s church (Vasco) and subsequent appointment as executive secretary of the office of Evangelization of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (FABC) in New Delhi in 1998.

“In 2000, the Goa archdiocese announced a retreat for priests on the spirituality of Blessed Joseph Vaz, preached by Bishop Vianney Fernando of Kandy (Sri Lanka). During this retreat, all 38 participants attended my talk on the revival of the Oratory. Then, 25 of them expressed their desire to revive the Oratory as a means of renewal of priestly life and of missionary vocation of the diocese,” said Fr Dias.

But given that many religious congregations were already operating in Goa, Fr Dias was aware that questions would be asked on the need to start yet another congregation and whether it would have made any difference to promote Catholic faith or the devotion to St Joseph Vaz in Goa.

“There was consensus among us that our priestly life was getting more secularized and in need of renewal. We felt the Oratory could help achieve our goal. Another missionary congregation was always welcome as it would have rekindled the enthusiasm and a new dimension to our life and commitment,” said Fr Dias.

Bishop Vicent do Rosario Dias, the first
Goan Oratorian bishop of Ceylon (1837-42).

Five priests then undertook a ‘pilgrimage of faith’ to Sri Lanka to visit and pray in some places where St Joseph Vaz exercised his missionary and pastoral activity.

“We made a retreat at the Benedictine Retreat House in Kandy and on October 13, 2003, committed ourselves to pursue seriously what we felt as a call to revive the Oratory founded by St Joseph Vaz in Goa,” said Fr Dias.

 
Fr Dias was chosen as coordinator of the group to represent their cause before diocesan authorities.

“Four of us from the group submitted our petition to the archbishop on August 4, 2004, to allow us function as a group and revive the Oratory,” he said.

Their efforts, which included many letters, reminders and even interactions, were, however, met with lukewarm response from church officials.

“Unfortunately, the response of diocesan officials has not been encouraging right from the beginning and some of them created obstacles in our path,” regrets Fr Dias.

“The archbishop has regularly said he is open to the idea of reviving the Oratory, even when I met him in the Archbishop’s House in Panjim together with Fr Edoardo Cerrato, then procurator general of the Confederation of the Oratorians, on October 13, 2005,” he said.

But though their proposal was repeatedly ignored by diocesan authorities for six years, the group found new hope when 2010 was declared “Year of Bl. Joseph Vaz” by the diocese.

Bishop Caetano Antonio Pereira, the second
Goan Oratorian bishop of Ceylon (1843-57).

They held meetings with the original sympathizers and seven of them decided to give the archbishop a fresh petition to allow them function as a Pious Union of Aspiring Oratorians.

“Despite these efforts, the experiment too was unsuccessful. Hence, before diocesan authorities could further dampen the movement, we suspended temporarily our experiment of living as Aspiring Oratorians in 2012, till we find a conducive atmosphere and better understanding from the authorities,” he said.

Fr Dias is, however, undeterred by the challenges. “We are confident that the canonization of St Joseph Vaz will give us the much-needed boost to revive the saint’s own congregation. We hope and pray our archbishop will bring St Joseph Vaz’s Oratory back to Goa, especially since it was abruptly disbanded 180 years ago,” he said.

He also wants to involve the lay Catholic community in supporting their initiative to revive the Oratory of St Joseph Vaz.

“I can state without hesitation that the Catholic Community will support and promote this noble initiative. Incidentally, the Oratory began when a group of lay people were being guided by St Felipe Neri as a prayer group. In fact, the word “Oratory” derives from the Latin “orare” (to pray). Even now, we have lay Oratorian members across the world,” said Fr Dias.

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“My godfather’s sainthood brought tears to my eyes”

[First appeared in the Herald - 19 January 2015]
 
MELVYN MISQUITA
19 JAN 2015
PANJIM

Fr Cosme Costa (extreme right) is seated in the special
Altar enclave close to Pope Francis (in the background)
during the Canonization Mass.
Photo by Fr Eusebio Gomes SFX

When Pope Francis proclaimed Joseph Vaz a saint shortly before 9 am on January 14, an estimated million-odd devotees attending the canonization ceremony broke into jubilation amid thunderous applause. For one person in that multitude of devotees it was a momentous occasion.

Fr Cosme Joseph Vaz Costa of Aldona, professor at the Pilar Theological College, was there and there were tears in his eyes. It was his birth that was the only approved miracle in the path that took Joseph Vaz to sainthood. The saint also happens to be the godfather of Fr Costa.

In an interview, Fr Costa narrates his emotional trip to Sri Lanka to attend the canonization of his godfather.

In Goa, you are fondly known as the ‘Miracle Child’. What was the reception accorded to you in Sri Lanka?

As a special invitee of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Sri Lanka, I was treated as a VIP from the moment I stepped out of the plane at Colombo at 11.35 pm on January 11. Everyone addressed or introduced me as ‘the miracle child’.

As I came out of the plane, there was an airhostess with my name placard and a wheel-chair to move me to the VIP room of the airport building. They themselves got me cleared of the immigration and other formalities, collected my luggage and drove me to a St Mary’s Senior Citizens Home, some 25 kms away, in the heart of Colombo.

Because of my ill-health, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith had entrusted me to the sisters and they treated me with great affection and love. A university student escorted me and we reached there at 1.30 am. What a contrast between the entry of St Joseph Vaz into Sri Lanka as a coolie in 1687 and my entry into Sri Lanka as a VIP for his canonization ceremony 327 years later!

I was confused. I have done nothing to merit all this. It was my mother, Quiteria C P Noronha e Costa, who deserved it and she is no more. I thank the Lord and St Joseph Vaz for showering me with these blessings, because of her prayers.

The canonization was indeed the culmination of your mission and work as a priest devoted to spread the veneration of St Joseph Vaz. What were your experiences of the canonization ceremony?

On January 14, the inmates and Sisters at the Senior Citizens Home were taken to the venue of the Canonization at 4 am in buses. But I was told to rest till 5 am and a VIP car with a police escort took me to a VIP hotel.

There, I met 3 Indian Cardinals Telesphore Toppo (Ranchi), Oswald Gracias (Mumbai) and Baselios Cleemis Thottunkal (Trivandrum), Goan Archbishops Filipe Neri Ferrao and Raul Gonsalves, Evaristo Pinto (Pakistan) and Anil Couto (Delhi), as well as Goan Bishops Allwyn Barreto (Sindudhurg), Alex Dias sfx (Andamans), Theodore Mascarenhas sfx (Ranchi) and Derek Fernandes (Karwar), four more bishops from Bangladesh and elsewhere.

At 7 am, these cardinals, bishops and I were escorted with security guards in a convoy of cars to the venue of the Canonization, where a sea of humanity had already assembled. We dressed for the Mass and went in procession. The Pope arrived and drove through the crowds till 8 am. Then, he came with the cardinals and 15 Sri Lankan bishops, walking in procession and started the Mass.

Among the 120 clergymen, including the above-mentioned four cardinals, 25 archbishops and bishops, as well as representatives of diocesan and religious priests from Sri Lanka, I was the only priest from Goa (India) to be included inside the special Altar enclave with the Pope. Over 6000 priests were in the Congregation outside the Altar enclave, who concelebrated with us. They later came to distribute Holy Communion to the multitude of devotees.

According to police and security estimates, there were 10.5 lakh people in the congregation at the Papal Mass, which is nearly three times Goa’s entire Catholic population.

What was your reaction at the very moment Pope Francis canonized Joseph Vaz?

I have no words to express my feelings of the moment. I was simply overwhelmed. Tears came to my eyes. I thanked God for Joseph Vaz’s tremendous courage and dedication and prayed that Goa and my Society of Pilar may, in the present and future, produce missionaries of such calibre to spread Christ’s message. The huge wooden statue of Joseph Vaz was in front of me.
I looked at the statue with intense emotion as he is my godfather. I thanked him for hearing the prayers of my mother and interceding before God to save my life. I felt fulfilled and surrendered myself to God's will.
 
Was there any interesting moment during the Pontifical Mass?

What many Goans may not know is that an extraordinary favour had been obtained through the intercession of Saint Joseph Vaz in a very difficult delivery of twins, to a Sri Lankan couple at Connecticut (USA).

According to medical advice, one of the twins was supposed to be very abnormal and doctors advised and insisted on performing an abortion, in order to save the other who was normal. The parents prayed to Saint Joseph Vaz and refused to undergo any abortion. The twins were delivered normal in due time. Bishop Vianney Fernando of Kandy went to Connecticut and formulated the process of this extraordinary favour obtained through the intercession of Saint Joseph Vaz in the difficult delivery of the twins.

This process was then submitted to the Sacred Congregation of Saints in Rome. But because its study for the approval would take a long time, the requirement of a second approved miracle was waved off by the Pope. These twins were present for the Canonization Mass and were even included in the offertory procession, but no announcement was made of this fact.

Did you get an opportunity to meet the Pope during his visit to Sri Lanka?

On January 13, the 78-yr-old Pope Francis had overexerted himself while greeting the people in an open pope-mobile, as they had lined up on both sides, all over the 25-km route, from the airport to Colombo. While the vehicle was being driven, the Pope was moving from left to right, all the time.

Following advice from his medical team, he had to cancel a number of audiences and a meeting with the Bishops of Sri Lanka. So, I had no chance of a personal meeting with Pope Francis.

But since my miracle had been accepted for beatification, I had been presented to Pope St John Paul II in 1995. I was given a personal blessing by this saint.

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Goans across India, world in Lanka for canonization

[First appeared in the Herald - 12 January 2015]

The exuberance to be part of the historic event in Sri Lanka, where Pope Francis will canonize Blessed Joseph Vaz as Goa’s first Saint, is not restricted to Goan pilgrims in the State.
 
MELVYN MISQUITA
12 JAN 2015
PANJIM

The Goan diaspora in different parts of the country and across the world have either arrived in Colombo, or are reaching the city within the next two days, to be part of the Canonization ceremony at the Galle Face Green grounds on January 14.

On Friday evening, Filomena Saraswati Giese and George Pinto, representatives of the Joseph Naik Vaz Institute of Berkeley-California in the USA, met Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith and other Sri Lankan bishops, and thanked them for their efforts in this cause.

In Delhi, Goan origin Archbishop of Delhi Anil Couto, Fr Cyril Rodrigues and other Goan pilgrims will be flying to Colombo on Monday for the Canonization of Blessed Joseph Vaz. They are expected to return on January 15. Archbishop of Bombay, Cardinal Oswald Gracias, is already in Sri Lanka.
 
Many Goan pilgrims hailing from various parts of Karnataka, including Belgaum, Karwar, Mangalore and Bangalore, are also headed for Sri Lanka for the canonization ceremony. Given that Joseph Vaz played a key role in promoting the Catholic faith in Mangalore and across the Canara region, a sizeable number of pilgrims from there are also expected to visit Sri Lanka.
 
Goan Bishop Allwyn Barreto of Sindhudurg, who represents the Catholic community in the southernmost district of Maharashtra, is already in Sri Lanka for the event. It is also learnt that Goan priests from Mumbai and Pune are also attending the canonization of Bl Joseph Vaz.
 
Fr Denzil Fernandes, Goan Jesuit priest based in Delhi, welcomed the political changes in Sri Lanka, barely days before Pope Francis’ visit to the country.
 
“I am glad that the new President Sirisena assumed office in a peaceful transition of power in Sri Lanka less than a week before the Pope's visit,” remarked Fr Denzil Fernandes. “I have developed a great devotion to Bl Joseph Vaz and though I am unable to go for the canonization ceremony in Sri Lanka, I will celebrate the canonization of this great son of Goa,” he said.
 
Fr Fernandes highlighted the Jesuit influence in the life and veneration of Bl Joseph Vaz. “He was born in a Jesuit parish, his faith was nurtured by Jesuits and he was educated by Jesuits in Goa. On January 14, he will be canonized by Pope Francis, a Jesuit himself,” remarked Fr Fernandes, who incidentally had stayed in Sri Lanka for six months during his priestly studies.
 
“I realized the greatness of Bl Joseph Vaz when I went to Sri Lanka for my Tertianship programme at Arrupe House, Kandy, in 2005. Soon I realized that the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka owes its existence to this great Apostle of Ceylon. Sri Lankan Catholics already revered him as a saint and several institutions were named after him.”
 
“The faith of the Catholics in Sri Lanka resembled that of Goan Catholics as Bl Joseph Vaz brought several Goan priests of the Oratory of Felipe Neri that he had founded in order to resurrect the Church in Sri Lanka. For me, my 6-month Tertianship programme in Sri Lanka was a pilgrimage,” said Fr Fernandes.

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Pilgrims progress to Sri Lanka for the Sainthood of their Blessed Joseph Vaz

[First appeared in the Herald - 11 January 2015]
 

Participating in an event that takes place for the first time in five centuries is not just a historic moment, but it has also become a matter of great devotion and huge pride to a large number of Goans. Goa’s first canonisation of one of its most illustrious sons, Fr Joseph Vaz, by Pope Francis in Sri Lanka on January 14 has prompted hundreds of enthusiastic Goan devotees to go to Sri Lanka, to attend this unique event in the 500-year history of Goa’s Catholic faith.

‘Miracle Child’ Fr Cosme, entourage of priests and  laity Colombo-bound

MELVYN MISQUITA
11 JAN 2015
PANJIM

Goa’s first saint has begun moving thousands of devotees to Sri Lanka. Led by the Archbishop and consisting of senior members of the clergy and accompanied by the most significant pilgrim, the miracle child Father Cosme, they will cross the Palk Straits to the land where Blessed Joseph Vaz, a Goan, spent a large part of his life in the service of the faith. Over a thousand devotees and fifty priests, many of them as spiritual advisors to pilgrims will be in Sri Lanka for the event. HERALD reports on this journey and the forthcoming events which will unfold

An estimated 1,000 devotees consisting of priests and laity have already begun leaving for Sri Lanka to attend the canonisation ceremony of Blessed Joseph Vaz. While some will participate in the Mass others will extended their stay to visit religious and tourist sites.

Archbishop-Patriarch Filipe Neri Ferrao, Bishop of Sindhudurg Allwyn Barreto, Vicar General Fr Jose Remedios Fernandes and Archbishop Ferrao’s secretary Fr Loiola Pereira left for Sri Lanka on Saturday, while others attending the ceremony include Goan Auxiliary Bishop Theodore Mascarenhas (Ranchi Archdiocese) and the “miracle child” Fr Cosme J Costa.

According to priests and tour operators, Goans visiting Sri Lanka for the canonisation ceremony have been broadly classified into two groups.

The first group of visitors, classified as tourists, will stay in hotels and their itinerary will include the canonisation ceremony and a tour across places of tourist importance in Sri Lanka. Many tour operators have worked out different packages to suit various groups of Goan visitors during their stay in Sri Lanka.

The other group of visitors insists that they are pilgrims, not tourists.

“Ninety of my parishioners, devotees who accompanied me in parishes during the raising of funds for the Sanctuary and some actors of our drama ‘Goychem Noketr Padre Zuze Vaz’ (Goa’s Star, Fr Joseph Vaz) are also in our pilgrimage group to Sri Lanka,” said Candolim Parish Priest Fr Romualdo Robin Rodrigues, former vice-postulator for the canonization of Blessed Joseph Vaz.

“This is a pilgrimage, not a tour. My friends in Sri Lanka will organize our visit to the various sites related to Fr Joseph Vaz. I have instructed my pilgrims that we stay in convents, retreat houses, monasteries and look upon this visit to Sri Lanka as a pilgrimage. We will live the humble life of Fr Joseph Vaz during the days of our pilgrimage,” Fr Rodrigues added.

Given that a Goan priest will be made a saint by the universal Catholic Church, an estimated 50 priests from all over Goa will visit Sri Lanka, either as spiritual advisors of groups or in their individual capacities.

As spiritual advisors, many of these priests accompanying these groups have been offered a complimentary trip by the tour operators.

Among the priests confirming their participation in their individual capacities include four professors from Rachol Seminary, Fr Simon Fernandes (president of the Committee for the Cause of Canonisation), Fr Nelson Sequeira, Fr Noel D’Costa and Fr Simon D’Cunha.

Other priests who are expected to make the trip to Sri Lanka include Fr Alban Fernandes (Holy Cross Shrine, Bambolim), Fr Roque Costa (parish priest, Rachol), Fr Ubaldo Fernandes (parish priest, Ambaulim-Quepem) and Fr Saude Pereira (parish priest, Chandor).

A group of six priests – Fr Mariano D’Costa and Fr Adolf Alvares (St Andrew’s church, Vasco), Fr Noel D’Costa and Fr Simon D’Cunha (Rachol Seminary), Fr Caitan D’Souza (Siolim) and Fr Xavier Estebeiro (Mapusa) – from the batch ordained in 2008 are also going by themselves to Sri Lanka for the canonisation ceremony. All six priests will leave Goa on January 13 and will return on January 16.

Two groups of parishioners from Porvorim will be led by Parish Priest Fr Tomas Lobo and Assistant Parish Priest Fr Boniface Furtado. Besides leading a group of parishioners, Fr Tomas Lobo will also have a special role to play in the canonisation ceremony.
 
“On the one hand, I’m elated to be part of the celebration in Sri Lanka where I will be part of our Goan choral group, led by Fr Loiola Pereira, which will sing an anthem to St Joseph Vaz in Konkani at the end of the canonisation Mass. I am also glad that I will have the opportunity to be concelebrating with the pope and with my brother priests at the solemn Eucharist,” said Fr Lobo.

“The pilgrimage to Sri Lanka will also give us an opportunity to visit places where Joseph Vaz worked with greatest missionary zeal and witness the faith of the Sri Lankan people, with whom we are connected due to the shining fruit of our Goan church - St Joseph Vaz,” he added.

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What Goa’s first Saint means to priests visiting Sri Lanka

“To me, it is a matter of great pride and joy that we are getting our first Goan Saint and that too, from our Beloved Pope Francis. When the news of his canonisation was announced, I rejoiced that the long wait of 304 years by Goans, Mangloreans and Sri Lankans, who already revered Joseph Vaz as a saint, has finally ended and the prayers of millions around the world had been answered.

What has drawn me closer to the saint is his phenomenal love for Our Lady to whom he dedicated his entire life and ministry. His missionary dynamism is truly exceptional and inspirational. God bless our church in the present times with such courageous, dynamic and joyful missionaries. The pilgrimage to Sri Lanka will also give us an opportunity to visit places where Joseph Vaz worked with greatest missionary zeal and witness the faith of the Sri Lankan people, with whom we are connected due to the shining fruit of our Goan church - St Joseph Vaz.”

Fr Tomas Lobo
Parish Priest,
Porvorim

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“The first time I learnt of Joseph Vaz's wonderful work was in school. My Konkani text book of Std VI had a chapter of Padri Jose Vaz. I was quite fascinated by the disguises he used to find the houses of Christians and thereafter, help them with their spiritual needs.

When studying in the Seminary, I came to know of the Second Vatican Council and its teachings on inculturation. This council gave a new vision, but it gives me pride that Fr Joseph Vaz, a man from our land, who lived more than two hundred years before the Second Vatican Council, had already implemented what the council thought. Canonisation adds nothing to Joseph Vaz’s greatness. He is great because of what he did in life, but it encourages us to strive to commit ourselves to the mission of Christ.”

Fr Nelson Sequeira,
Professor at Rachol Seminary

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I owe St Joseph Vaz everything, every bit that happened during my tenure and after my tenure at the Sanctuary of Fr Joseph Vaz in Sancoale. He has been my constant companion and even continues to be to this very day. And I have given his love to others whom I met during my tenure in parishes I was posted.
Actually, in August last year, I knew that Pope Francis would declare Fr Joseph Vaz as Saint during his visit to Sri Lanka. Something was telling me that it is going to happen. The Canonization is going happen during Pope Francis’s visit in January. I had even spoken to some friends that this would happen soon. And it came true. The multitude of devotees like me thanked God Almighty for the happiest news in my life. I go to Sri Lanka as a devotee, to pay respects to the person who entered my life in Sancoale and changed me spiritually. Fr Joseph Vaz for me is my constant companion.
 

My 90 parishioners who are devotees of Fr Joseph Vaz, devotees who accompanied me in parishes during the raising of funds for the Sanctuary and some of my actors and manager of our drama ‘Goychem Noketr Padre Zuze Vaz’ are also in the group of Pilgrimage to Sri Lanka. Back here in Candolim on January 14, nine Chapels will also install nine statues of St Joseph Vaz in Candolim.
 

This Pilgrimage to Sri lanka for the Canonization of Fr Jospeh Vaz is a Pilgrimage not a Tour. My friends in Sri Lanka will organize our visit to the various sites related to Fr Joseph Vaz. I have instructed my pilgrims that we stay in convents, retreat houses, monasteries and look upon this visit to Sri Lanka as a Pilgrimage! We will live the humble life of Fr Joseph Vaz during the days of the Pilgrimage. We will visit the places, including the place where he landed in Mannar on the Beach -tired and exhausted - where he began his ministry after leaving Goa as a coolie. And through this Pilgrimage we grow strong in our faith.
 

We come back home with the conviction that we walked the Holy land of Sri Lanka, in the footsteps of our own first Goan Saint, our son of the soil. My thanks to Pope Francis for giving us our first Goan Saint.

Fr Romualdo Robin Rodrigues
Parish Priest,
Candolim

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I recall with gratitude the prayerful atmosphere we had in our family. One of the many prayers those days was for the beatification of Blessed Joseph Vaz. Of course, I had not known much of him in my childhood days. When at Rachol Seminary, a wonderful and thought-provoking experience shared by late Fr Edwin, who was known as Swami, gave some insights into the life of this holy man.
 

Some years back, I was requested by the Archbishop to head the Committee for the Cause of the Canonisation of Blessed Joseph Vaz. I took it up willingly and in the spirit of selfless service to God and his people and for the love of the saint of our soil. This responsibility motivated me to read a lot on Joseph Vaz, especially during the Pastoral Year (2010-2011) dedicated to Joseph Vaz, when we had to organise and coordinate a lot of programmes at the Diocesan level. His life inspired me to be a better priest and energized me in my priestly ministry at various levels.
 

I also had the opportunities to make Joseph Vaz known by writing on the periodical ‘Goychem Noketr’ and other publications, through missions and otherwise. With wholehearted collaboration of the members of the two committees that I had during my tenure, we spared no efforts along with the Vice-Postulator Fr Eremito Rebelo to make Joseph Vaz known far and wide and at the same to reinforce the prayer campaign for the Cause of Canonisation.
While reading about the life and mission of Joseph Vaz, I always desired to visit the places where he preached the Gospel and safeguarded the Catholic Faith. 

There were avenues opened in the past to visit these places but time-factor and commitment to other activities did not materialize my desire to go to Sri Lanka.
Today, I go to Sri Lanka with sentiments of gratitude to God for gifting the land of Goa with such a holy and zealous priest, a man with foresight, far-sight and insight. A powerful intercessor for all of us, indeed!

Fr Simon Fernandes
Professor, Rachol Seminary
and President,
Committee for Cause of Canonisation of Blessed Joseph Vaz

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The Canonization of Blessed Joseph Vaz is an event for which thousands of Goans as well as Mangaloreans and Sri Lankans have been praying for, and looking forward to, in the last three hundred years. Thousands of favours have been reported through his intercession even during his lifetime and much more after his death till today. But none of them was submitted to a canonical process scrutinized by teams of doctors, theologians, Bishops and Cardinals and finally accepted by the Pope as a miracle, except the one that God worked in my life in answer to prayers. I have not done anything. It is Joseph Vaz's powerful intercession before God that has saved my life.
 

The Process of this miracle was started in January 1990 and it took three years to complete. As this process would take a long time to study and complete, Pope Francis has waved the requirement of an approved miracle for the Canonization.
I attended the Beatification ceremony in Sri Lanka on January 21, 1995. I look forward with deep gratitude for this great event of the Canonization. I thank God for my mother's deep faith in hum. Canonization will entitle Joseph Vaz for honours of the altar all over the world, as a saint to be emulated by missionaries, especially in difficult situations of present day persecutions of Christians all over the world. Joseph Vaz stands as a beacon of light, strategy and strength in such difficult situations.

Fr Cosme J Costa
Pilar Theological College
Pilar

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