Courtesy Aleteia

Asela Dassanayake CC

Philip Kosloski – published on 01/16/26

St. Joseph Vaz became poor so that he could more effectively preach the Gospel to the people of Sri Lanka.

Missionaries often have to learn new languages when preaching the Gospel in a different country, but sometimes that “language” takes on a more physical form.

St. Joseph Vaz is a great example of someone who spoke the language of poverty, as well as charity, to better communicate with the native people of Sri Lanka.

Sri. Lanka in the 17th century had a very small population of Christians, who were without priests at the time when St. Joseph Vaz made his journey from India. St. Joseph Vaz is celebrated on January 16.

Preaching the Gospel without words

St. John Paul II highlighted this aspect of his ministry during his homily for St. Joseph’s beatification in 1995:

Heeding the call of the Holy Spirit, he left his homeland to come to this country where the Church had had no priests for over three decades. He came here in absolute poverty and lived as a beggar, driven by a burning desire to draw people to Christ…Joseph Vaz was on fire with faith. Guided by the example of his Divine Master, he travelled the whole Island, going everywhere, often barefoot, with a rosary round his neck as a sign of his Catholic faith. As a true disciple of Jesus, he endured innumerable sufferings with joy and confidence, knowing that in those sufferings too God’s plans were being fulfilled.

This was important, as it corresponded to what the local people in Sri Lanka associated with holiness.

Sri Lanka has been a country primarily dominated by Buddhism and Buddhist monks are well-known for their vow of poverty, as writer Franklin Dean explains:

The vow of poverty is a fundamental aspect of the Buddhist monastic life, deeply rooted in the teachings of the Buddha. Buddhist monks, known as bhikkus, renounce material possessions and worldly attachments as part of their commitment to the spiritual path. This vow, one of the key precepts in the Vinaya (monastic code), requires monks to live simply, relying on alms and donations from the lay community for their basic needs such as food, shelter, and robes.

In addition to his life of poverty, St. Joseph Vaz also preached through his charity, which St. John Paul II also highlighted in his homily, “His heroic charity, shown in a particular way in his selfless devotion to the victims of the epidemic in 1697, earned him the respect of everyone.”

While words can be effective, often what speaks louder, especially to those who are not familiar with Christianity, are actions.