Today, January 16, is the memorial of Saint Joseph Vaz.
Joseph, who belonged to the Congregation of the Oratory, was born in 1651 in Goa, India. He was ordained priest in 1676. He soon after lived barefoot to imitate the poor and preached the Gospel with much success.
Joseph journeyed to Sri Lanka during the Dutch occupation, when Calvinism was the official religion. He travelled throughout the island bringing the Eucharist and the sacraments to clandestine groups of Catholics, never minding the risky business he was doing.
Later in his mission, he found shelter in the Kandyan kingdom where he was able to work without having any threats to his life. Thus, Fr. Joseph continued to minister to Catholics in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
From 1710 to 1711, Joseph suffered from health problems. Although he recovered from infections and sickness, all these weakened the holy priest. He died in 1711 at age 59. At the time of his death, Joseph rebuilt the Catholic Church on the island.
Pope St. John Paul II beatified Fr. Joseph in Colombo, Sri Lanka in 1995. Pope Francis canonized him in 2015 also in Colombo.