As is often the case with good vacations, I’ve been trying to find creative ways to hold onto the joy and peace I found while exploring Portland, Oregon and the area around the city. Since I am a bit of a shutter bug, much of my holding on has been through pictures. As I have shared my pictures on social media, some of my friends have commented that forests I visited look like something out of a fantasy novel. When gazing at towering redwoods, mystic waterfalls, and inviting trails, fantasy and reality easily blend as Washington Park meets Lord of the Rings. This commingling of fantasy and reality also sparked my creative side. I have long desired to write a book on the Catholic perspective on care for creation. Of the many thought experiments I’ve played with, one of them has been to write some type of fantasy story that would include a sacramental view of creation. For fun, I … Continue reading →

About a year ago, I received a phone call from one of my former students, Kelsey Mattick, with a request I often receive as a priest: “Would you be available to officiate my wedding?” These requests are both an honor and difficult to receive. They are an honor because they communicate that I have made a significant impact in someone’s life as a priest. They are also difficult because the schedule often leads me to decline these requests. Kelsey and Sri’s request would have been ripe for a rejection since it was in Portland, Oregon and I live in Menomonie, Wisconsin. Thankfully, I looked at my calendar and was able to not only say “yes” to officiating the wedding but was able to schedule two weeks of vacation in the Portland area! Last week, I offered a journal reflection about my trip to the Redwood Trail at the Hoyt Arboretum. This week, I want to reflect upon a beautiful grotto … Continue reading →

As I have been putting together these reflections on faith and science in the classroom, there has been a topic looming in the background as the proverbial elephant in the middle of the room: What happens to Christianity if we discover intelligent life on another planet? This question is both compelling and loaded. First off, we need to break down this question into a series of clarifying questions.   What do we mean by life? What do we mean by intelligent life? Is intelligent life synonymous with human life? How do we understand the difference between human life and other kinds of life? Can we conceptualize a type of intelligent life that isn’t human life? What does it mean to be made in God’s image and likeness?   From these questions, we can develop another series of clarifying questions.   What is the role of science in defining life? What is the role of philosophy in defining life? What is … Continue reading →

What is the best way to promote a healthy relationship between faith and science? There are many directions we can take when trying to answer this question. In my opinion, one of the clearest ways is to explore Catholics who were and are active in the sciences.   When most people think of people in faith and science, most gravitate toward Galileo and Bruno (topics we will explore in future “classes”). Much could and will be said of these two figures, but what I find interesting is how there are far more examples of Catholics in science that were embraced by the Church as scientists than those who were criticized. Whether it be the “Father” of the Big Bang, Monsignor Georges Lemaitre, or the man whose garden became the crib of modern genetics, Gorger Mendel, what is found in the study of the “Catholics of Science,” both clergy and lay person, is a rich history of key figures that have … Continue reading →

One of the clearest areas of collaboration between faith and science is care for creation. In the Catholic tradition, care for creation has long been accepted as one of the seven themes of Catholic Social Teaching (CST). Though matters of ecology usually spiral into politically driven emotionalism, the approach to care for creation found in CST is quite practical and common sense. For example, as I was out fishing with one of my parishioners, I was reminded of the need for clean water that not only provides for human needs, but builds up healthy ecosystems for the communities we live. As we enjoyed a successful day that included three “keepers” for dinner, I was reminded of a simple fisherman’s ethic that fits nicely with CST: If you want to catch and eat fish from a lake, don’t pollute the lake. The modern theology of ecology derives from three, historic events. On the positive side, the exploration of space and images … Continue reading →