Introduction

This blog contains regular postings relating to the Traditional Latin Liturgy of the Roman Catholic Church. It includes regular commentary on the saints days and the liturgical cycle, with brief background and extracts from the liturgy both in Latin and English. Much of the material has been extracted from the 'St Andrew's Daily Missal', Dom Gueranger's 'Liturgical Year', or similar sources.

Related website: http://www.liturgialatina.org/





Monday, 16 January 2017

16th January, St Joseph Vaz, Confessor

Saint Joseph Vaz, Confessor


Blessed Joseph VazJoseph Vaz was born in1651 at Goa in west India. He was ordained in 1676, and became well-known for his zeal. He and a number of other priests formed an Oratory of St Philip Neri in Goa, living a community life without vows.

Joseph became increasingly concerned with the plight of the Church in Ceylon, where no priest had been able to minister for fifty years because of the anti-Catholic restrictions imposed by the Dutch rulers of the island. He set off with two companions, and in 1686 landed in Ceylon.

Eventually Joseph was able to identity a few Catholics in Ceylon, and he began a ministry of reconciling those who had abandoned the faith, and receiving converts. He travelled the island dressed as a beggar, often having to flee from the Dutch persecutors.


Eventually Joseph made his way to the independent kingdom of Kandy, situationed in the moutainous interior of Ceylon. After having worked miracles that convinced the king of his divine protection, he was allowed to set up a mission in Kandy. Eventually the faith spread through Ceylon, including the Dutch territories.



Joseph died on 16th January 1711, having devoted his life to the service of Christ and the propagation of the faith. He was beatified in 1995, and canonized in 2015.



Justus ut palma florebit: sicut cedrus Libani multiplicabitur: plantatus in domo Domini: in atriis domus Dei nostri. * Bonum est confiteri Domino: et psallere nomini tuo, Altissime.
The just shall flourish like the palm-tree: he shall grow up like the cedar of Libanus: planted in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God.
(Psalm 91:13-14,2 from the Introit of Mass)



Lord God, by whose surpassing mercy Blessed Joseph made known the unfathomable riches of Christ, grant, at his intercession, that we may grow in knowledge of you, yield fruit in every good work, and by the truth of the Gospel live faithfully in your presence. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
(Proper Collect)

Further details about Blessed Joseph Vaz: http://www.oxfordoratory.org.uk/bl-joseph-vaz.php
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1 comment:

  1. bedwere2 January 2017 at 22:00

    We would like to organize a TLM for St. Joseph Vaz. Will you provide the whole proper? Thank you!

    ReplyDelete

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