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Udupi : Cannonization of Blessed Joseph Vaz as a Saint by Pope Francis on 14^th January 2015 at Sri Lanka has brought great joy to the Christian community particularly that of the west coast of India. Diocese of Udupi organized celebration of Cannonization as a Saint to Joseph Vaz will be held on Sunday, 18^th January, 2015 at Holy Rosary church, Kundapur.

Talking with media persons Very Rev Fr. Anil D’souza Dean of Kundapur Deanery as well as parish priest of Holy Rosary Church said that prayer services to be held at 3pm on 18^th January at Our Lady of Conception of Mother Mary Church Gangolli. There will be Vehicles Jatha procession held from Gangolli church to Holy Rosary Church Kundapura which more than 200 four wheelers and more than 500 two wheelers will participate during the vehicles jatha. At 5pm Eucharistic celebrations will be held at Holy Rosary Church which concelebrated by Bishop of Udupi Diocese His Lordship Most Rev Dr. Gerald Isaac Lobo.

Joseph Vaz was born on April 21^st 1651 at Goa in devout family. Responding to the call of the youth, he was ordained a Priest at 25 after ecclesiastical training in the seminary. At this time he learnt of the Catholics of Sri Lanka having been deprived of the services of Priests. He requested his superiors to send him for the same. However, his superiors, without heeding his request, sent him to the Canara Coastal area to give his priestly service.

Obedient to the order of his superiors, he came bare feet to our coastal belt in 1681 A.D. in order to give his precious service. While serving at Kundapur Church, he also served Gangolli and the neighbourhood . While Holy Rosary Church Kundapur, it is recorded in history that during his meditation he was lifted up and was floating in the air.

During his service at the Panir Church of Mangalore, his enemies tried to assassinate him at Mudipu of Bantwal Taluk. At this time, at midnight, lighting broke out to cause three springs of water. Frightned by the miracle, the would be assassins took to their feet. To this day, the three wells exist at Mudipu out of which water springs out miraculously from one of them. After serving our coast selflessly, he returned to Gao in 1684.

Subsequently he went to Sri Lanka with his companion. John, disguised as a coolie and met the Christians in hiding and served them. Even there his enemies suspected him to be a spy and produced him before the kind. The king, Vimla Dharma Surya, arrested and placed Joseph Vaz and John in prison.

At this time Sri Lanka was badly affected by drought. With no water to drink and food to eat, human beings as well as animals began to die. When the efforts to appease the gods by sacrifice and bring as well as animals began to die. When the efforts to appease the gods by sacrifice and bring down rain failed, the King appealed to Joseph Vaz. When Joseph Vaz prayed for rain, rain poured down immensely in a miraculous manner. The delighted King granted Joseph Vaz  complete independence alaong with great honour and praise. Later many more priests joined him and served the people through many a welfare scheme. Weakened by his continual service activities, Joseph Vaz gave up his spirit in the hands of the Lord on January 16, 1711.