Book on Blessed Vaz’s exploits published amid demand for canonization

Panaji – In the wake of the publication of a new book containing over 200 stories of Blessed Joseph Vaz, the Christian community of Goa are looking forward to the canonization process of the heroic missionary and are demanding that it be expedited.

The book, authored by Fr. Romulado Robin Rodrigues, former vice–postulator of the cause of canonization of Blessed Vaz, was released by Emeritus–Archbishop Raul Gonsalves of Goa on January 16 at the Sanctuary of Vaz in Sancoale.

The “207 Stories of Blessed Joseph Vaz” are based on details collected by Fr. Rodrigues from sources in Goa, Sri Lanka and Kanara regions, where Blessed Vaz lived and worked.

The book has been released at a time when efforts are underway to speed up the Blessed Vaz’s canonization process. Standard procedure requires a confirmed miracle for beatification and another one for sainthood, unless he or she is a martyr. In the case of Blessed Vaz a second miracle is yet to be confirmed.

Born in 1651, Vaz was ordained as a missionary in 1676. He traveled extensively on foot along the western Indian coast and Sri Lanka, preaching to the natives. He died in Kandy, Sri Lanka on January 7, 1711. Vaz was declared Blessed by Pope John Paul II on July 6, 1997 and went on to become the patron of Goa on 16 January, 2000. Recently, to coincide with the decennial Exposition of the sacred relics of St. Francis Xavier that just got over, an exhibition on the life of Blessed Joseph Vaz was conducted in the ancient residence of Se Cathedral and had attracted thousands of visitors.

Many including Fr. Cosme Costa, whose testimony on Vaz's intercession helped in his beatification, are demanding that the Vatican should waive off the demand for a second miracle because of the great amount of work that the Goan missionary has done for the Church.

Their argument is that Blessed Vaz endured persecution while working in Sri Lanka and so he could be termed a martyr and canonized.