BLESSED JOSEPH VAZ

Mass for the Tercentenary of the death of Blessed Joseph Vaz

Organized by Sri Lankan community in Los Angeles

Sri Lankans in Los Angeles, California celebrated the Tercentenary of Blessed Joseph Vaz on January 22, 2011 at St. Catherine Laboure Catholic church in Torrance. The mass was celebrated in Sinhala by Rev. Father Damian Fernando with Rev. Msgr. John O'byrne and Rev. Father John Raab. All the hymns were sung in Sinhala and the beautiful music was conducted by Gihan Amarasekara and Chrisantha de Silva.

The event was well attended by Sri Lankans who came from various parts of southern California. This mass was organized by the Sri Lankan Catholics in South bay area and, there was a lunch reception with traditional Sri Lankan food after the mass.

Sri Lankan Catholics who attended the mass said that they were very blessed to celebrate and honor blessed Joseph Vaz and were praying for his speedy canonization. Oratorian Father Joseph Vaz of Goa was the only priest in Sri Lanka during the time of the Dutch persecution of Catholics. He traveled throughout the island in disguise bringing the Eucharist and the sacraments to clandestine groups of Catholics. In 1692, under the patronage of Buddhist King Vimaladharma Suriya II, he found shelter in the capital city of Kandy where he settled down and was able to work freely. He passed away on January 16, 1711, in Kandy.

Pope John Paul II beatified Father Joseph Vaz on January 21, 1995 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. His feast day is January 16th.