An interesting topic to discuss with priests is their feelings about marriage preparation. Some priests feel that marriage preparation should take the shape of priestly formation, requiring multiple years of preparation for the Sacrament. Others, such as myself, take the approach that engaged couples that seek the Sacrament are doing the best they can in the situation they are in. Therefore, in the spirit of Pope Francis, the best approach is to accompany them, acknowledge that the situation a couple is in may not be ideal, but invite them to slowly move toward the ideal with God’s grace and the support of a community of faith. Both approaches have merit. It would be wonderful if a married couple would approach the Sacrament with multiple years of formation. I even know some brother priests who have adapted this mentality in their ministry. The couples they have for marriage are very well formed theologically and embrace their faith deeply. The only problem … Continue reading →

I’m happy to share with the readers of The Catholic Astronomer that I will be presiding at Evening Vespers for Saint Francis Seminary on November 15th to kick off a new initiative in faith and science. Sacred Heart School of Theology in Hales Corners, Wisconsin, the school that seminarians at Saint Francis Seminary attend for their academic formation, has been awarded a major grant from The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) to make education in science a part of the formation program for future priests. The President and Rector of Sacred Heart School of Theology, Monsignor Thomas Knoebel, stated that the purpose of this grant will be to help people come closer to God through understanding God’s creation. “This grant affirms Sacred Heart’s position in the Catholic Church as a leading seminary whose graduates serve in dioceses and religious orders throughout the United States, and is thus well-positioned to achieve its project goals.” “Our primary job is to … Continue reading →

In 1990, I was Junior at Amherst High School. I remember the buzz about a new telescope, a space telescope, that promised the deepest, clearest view of the universe. The telescope’s name was the Hubble Telescope and was touted as the 90’s equivalent of Apollo 11 in terms of historical relevance. Such bravado created high expectations about what the Hubble would see and discover! Though Hubble was ready to launch before 1990, the tragedy of the Space Shuttle Challenger not only pushed Hubble’s timeline back, but called into question (for some) the future of space exploration. I was twelve years old when Challenger exploded. One of my teaches, Mrs. Marilyn Baker, was a college friend of Sharon Christa McAuliffe. As a sixth grade student at Amherst Elementary, I remember the feelings of confusion over what had happened and concern seeing one of my favorite teachers weep as this tragedy unfolded. The school had rolled out a large television in the … Continue reading →

Perhaps Catholicism’s love of tradition has rubbed off on my family. Maybe it’s because we’re packrats who refuse to throw much of anything away that attaches us to a past memory. Whatever the reason, my family has a history of patiently wading through hundreds of old family photographs, trying to preserve every memory of our lives by carefully archiving them in three ring bound scrapbooks. Some of the pictures in these family archives bring about great joy, like family trips to Illinois to visit our favorite cousins. Other images evoke deep emotion, like the sense of adventure I feel every time I look at the picture of my grandmother trying to imitate Emilia Earhart, leaning against my childhood pastor’s airplane. Scrapbooks provide us with a clear, visual history of our lives. Yet, they also inspire our future as we prayerfully reflect on who we are by gazing upon images of who we have been. Yesterday, Br. Guy posted a quick … Continue reading →

Over the past three weeks, I have been invited to speak at two separate science fiction conventions. As I take these requests to prayer, I have been mulling over potential topics. Now, to be clear, I am not someone whose major passion is science fiction. I like science fiction movies, I’ve read a few books, but I am by no means an expert on the genre. Let’s just say, I know what I like and I know what I don’t like. Of the movies that I have seen, I find an interesting and troubling theme that emerges on the future ahead: Dark, mechanical, animalistic, nihilistic, and godless. Dare I say, some of the motion picture “think tanks” that have reflected on our future have tended toward a de-evolution of the human condition versus an evolution into something far more meaningful and beautiful. Case in point, I was trying to find a good, objective list of the best science fiction movies … Continue reading →

This past weekend, I had the privilege of presenting at the Northwoods Starfest. Starfest is an annual gathering of astronomy enthusiasts at Hobbs Observatory, located just outside of the town of Fall Creek, Wisconsin. The participants pitch tents for the weekend, bring their telescopes, and enjoy time together sharing their love of astronomy. I was invited by Mike Brown, an active member of the Chippewa Valley Astronomical Society (CVAS) and friend, to speak on the subject of the Vatican Observatory. Specifically, Mike wanted me discuss the history of the Observatory and the science that is done at the observatory. Since I am not a Vatican scientist, I utilized many of the wonderful resources that are found on the Vatican Observatory Foundation’s YouTube page and the Vatican Observatory’s Annual Reports. The end result was a broad overview of how the observatory came into existence and how the research priorities are based upon the personal expertise of the scientists recruited by the Jesuits. … Continue reading →