TEAM HERALD
bureau@herald-goa.com
CORTALIM: Thousands of devotees thronged the Sanctuary of Patron of Goa and Daman Blessed Joseph Vaz on the occasion of his 302nd death anniversary.
Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao, main celebrant for the feast Mass, appealed to the devotees to pray fervently for the canonisation of great Goan missionary Blessed Joseph Vaz.
The Archbishop said there was a need to further propagate the works of Blessed Joseph Vaz.
“This year is dedicated to the faithfully and it is necessary that we learn from the teachings of Blessed Vaz to deepen our faith,” Fr Ferrao said in his homily.
In his speech, Sanctuary Rector Fr Erimito Rebelo said it should be the concern of all to work towards the Sainthood of Blessed Joseph Vaz.
“We should pray to God to give us this gift of Sainthood so that he is accepted as a Saint of universal church,” Fr Rebelo said.
As part of elaborate traffic arrangements, buses were hired to transport devotees from Cortalim church ground and Sancoale church ground from 4 am to 7.30 pm as the road to the sanctuary was closed for private vehicles.
It may be recalled that Joseph Vaz was declared as Blessed by the then Pope John Paul II at Galle, Sri Lanka, in 1995.
Vaz whose father is from Sancoale and mother from Benaulim carried out his missionary works in Goa, Mangalore and Sri Lanka.
He died in 1711 at Kandy, Sri Lanka, after years of service in the island nation.
