GL responds:
Now that Joseph Vaz is a Goan saint, do the Goans in East Africa celebrate his
sainthood? Have the Goans in Goa built a basilica for their son - the first
saint.
Or are we waiting for the White Revolution and/reformation to do it for us
while we sit back and talk and analyze sixteenth century European history?
Regards, GL
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GL,
Goans never need much of an excuse to celebrate and when they do, they are
usually unquenchable. Thanks to the internet, every year I see live videos of
people in Goa celebrating St John the Baptist - by jumping into a well. Every
year! I can understand jumping into a well once but surely – at some point – it
becomes clear that St John is not the focus of the celebration.
As for our very own who took his susegad time becoming a saint, I hope the
faithful will come up with an unique method of celebrating his feast - in his
own Basilica in Goa. I am already starting to look for volunteers who, the
moment the corner stone is laid for the Basilica, will run a raid on Kandy and
bring back the body.
There is no use having another saint in a faraway place.
Mervyn
