Scottish Catholic Observer

Pope Francis gave Sri Lanka its first saint at a Mass for more half a million people in Colombo this morning, calling 17th century missionary Joseph Vaz a model of reconciliation after the country’s recent civil war.

“Religious freedom is a fundamental human right,” the Holy Father said. “Each individual must be free, alone or in association with others, to seek the truth, and to openly express his or her religious convictions, free from intimidation and external compulsion

“As the life of St Joseph Vaz teaches us, genuine worship of God bears fruit not in discrimination, hatred and violence, but in respect for the sacredness of life, respect for the dignity and freedom of others, and loving commitment to the welfare of all.

“In St Joseph we see a powerful sign of God’s goodness and love for the people of Sri Lanka. But we also see in him a challenge to persevere in the paths of the Gospel, to grow in holiness ourselves, and to testify to the Gospel message of reconciliation to which he dedicated his life.”

St Joseph was a 17th-century Oratorian missionary from Goa, India, known as the ‘apostle of Sri Lanka.’ St John Paul II Beatified him during the late Pope’s first trip to Sri Lanka in January 1995.

St Joseph, born in India in 1651, entered Sri Lanka in 1687 disguised as a poor labourer in order to minister to the underground Church. At the time, the Dutch had taken control of Sri Lanka’s coastal areas from the Portuguese. Fearing the island’s Catholics might remain loyal to the Portuguese, the Dutch made Catholicism illegal, banished Catholic priests and confiscated Catholic churches and schools.

Aided by lay leaders, St Joseph often went barefoot, with a rosary round his neck, ministering to and organising Catholics throughout the island where the church had had no priests for over three decades. He was the lone Catholic pastor of Sri Lanka until other priests joined him in 1697 at his request.

Surviving two years in prison for being a suspected Portuguese spy, he was then given permission to work as a missionary in the Sinhalese kingdom of Kandy until his death in 1711.

Before the Canonisation, Pope Francis greeted a few of the thousands of people who had gathered to witness the service. Later today the Pope will visit the Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Rosary in Madhu before travelling to the Philippines on Thursday.

Pic: The Holy Father greets disabled pilgrims before the Canonisation Mass

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