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Tag Archives: Pope Francis

ⓜ Million Miles Away… Diary of 8 September, 2019

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on September 9, 2019 by Br. Guy ConsolmagnoSeptember 9, 2019

The Irish blues singer Rory Gallagher… the last Star Wars movie… the discovery of pulsars… the Dean of York Cathedral… and Pope Francis. That pretty much summarizes my diary for August. Oh, you want to hear more, you say? But first, our stats: As of today, we have 139 paid subscribers… that’s only one more than last month. On the other hand, there are 9051 people who get notified of new postings, a jump of nearly 200 compared to last month. We continue to grow, but not nearly fast enough to keep us in business. We pay our writers (a pittance, but still it’s something) and the web site and its support does not come for free. Please tell more people about our site. And if you can, please subscribe at a rate of $10 a month (that’s two visits to Subway for me) or $100 per year. And tell your friends about the site. If we could double the size … Continue reading →

Posted in Diary | Tagged Gallagher, Ireland, Pope Francis, Star Wars | 1 Reply

Own your own space-time continuum!

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on September 3, 2019 by Br. Guy ConsolmagnoSeptember 5, 2019
This entry is part 44 of 63 in the series Diary

So, last week Pope Francis met in a private audience with the sixteen members of the Vatican Observatory. We presented the Pope with the published proceedings of a recent workshop we’d held on Gravitation and Black Holes — how we understand the fabric of space and time warped together in the deepest regions of space. That meeting had included Nobel Prize winners and other notables from the field; the Pope had met them, too. But another gift that we gave the Pope tells a deeper story. We also offered him a copy of our 2020 astronomical calendar. Every year, the Vatican Observatory Foundation publishes a calendar full of glorious astronomical images and marking significant dates in the history of our science. It’s a way of raising money to help support our telescope and our outreach efforts. But hundreds of these calendars are also given away, for free, to inmates in San Quentin and other prisons. All the prisoners have to do … Continue reading →

Posted in Diary | Tagged Calendar, Pope Francis, prisoners, spacetime | Leave a reply

Across the Universe: Father’s Day

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on June 13, 2019 by Br. Guy ConsolmagnoJune 13, 2019
This entry is part 188 of 191 in the series Across the Universe

This column from The Tablet was first published in June, 2018 The students of the Vatican Observatory’s biennial summer school (2018’s year’s topic, stellar variability in the era of large surveys) were received by Pope Francis in a private audience on June 14, 2018. Introducing them, I mentioned to the Pope that along with four weeks of heavy astrophysics our school is also including special lectures to reflect on not only what we are studying, but why we study it.   “Why does the Vatican have an Observatory?” That common question begs the bigger one, why anyone does astronomy. Contrary to what our culture preaches, astronomy doesn’t make you rich, powerful, or sexy. (Maybe that’s why my Jesuit vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience felt so natural.) What astronomy does do, however, is give you the space to contemplate questions bigger than “what’s for lunch?” Doing science is a way of becoming intimate with creation, and thus with the Creator. … Continue reading →

Posted in Across the Universe, Popular Culture | Tagged Fathers, Pope Francis, why do science | 4 Replies

Across the Universe: Eccentric visitor

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on October 4, 2018 by Br. Guy ConsolmagnoOctober 2, 2018
This entry is part 11 of 191 in the series Across the Universe

This column first ran in The Tablet in October 2017 Studying the universe forces us to see ourselves in a new and often disorienting context. It’s not always easy. Talking with astronauts aboard the International Space Station on October 26 [2017], Pope Francis asked them, “traveling in space, thinking about things we take for granted here on Earth like the concept of “up” or “down”… tell us, is there something in particular that has surprised you, living in the Space Station?” The American astronaut Mark VandeHei replied, “in this environment, where we really don’t need the concept of up and down, to get my bearings I still have to decide which direction to perceive as up.” Every day in my meteorite lab I work with rocks that have passed through the sky (“meteorite” comes from the Greek word for sky), tangible evidence that the clouds are not an impenetrable barrier between us and rest of the solar system. We can … Continue reading →

Posted in Science, Space Exploration | Tagged 'Oumuamua, Comet, International Space Station, Pope Francis | 2 Replies

Across the Universe: Information and truth

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on May 10, 2018 by Br. Guy ConsolmagnoMay 30, 2018
This entry is part 176 of 191 in the series Across the Universe

This column first ran in The Tablet in May 2017 The British fantasy writer Neil Gaiman tells the story of attending a gathering of great writers, scholars, and thinkers, and wondering if he really belonged in that group. Next to him, another attendee also named Neil voiced similar doubts. “I just look at all these people, and I think, what the heck am I doing here? They’ve made amazing things. I just went where I was sent.” To which Gaiman replied, “Yes. But you were the first man on the Moon. I think that counts for something.”   In that spirit, in May 2017 I presented to Pope Francis the attendees of our workshop on Black Holes, Gravitational Waves, and Space-time Singularities. The scientists included 35 of the brightest in the field, including a Nobel laureate. Two of them gave the Pope a copy of their work announcing the discovery of gravitational waves. (I gave the Pope a book written by … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Uncategorized | Tagged black hole, information, Nobel, Pope Francis, singularity | Leave a reply

Across the Universe: Hidden inclusions

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on July 13, 2017 by Br. Guy ConsolmagnoMay 30, 2018
This entry is part 133 of 191 in the series Across the Universe

This column first ran in The Tablet in July 2013 I was in a state of high excitement (or what passes for such when you’re sixty years old): the Pope was coming to lunch with our Jesuit community at the Vatican Observatory! Meanwhile, I was also preparing a paper for the annual Meteoritical Society meeting, and I had just noticed a wonderful correlation in my data. These sorts of insights are as rare as Papal visits… if indeed I had really made one. I’ve been studying iron meteorites; and it’s been hard work. For one thing, they are, quite literally, hard – lumps of nickel-iron, too hard to cut up easily to see what’s inside. I’ve seen iron meteorites being cut at the Smithsonian in Washington, DC; their saw sits in a room the size of gymnasium, makes an awful racket, and spews water everywhere. (The water cools the meteorite while a diamond-encrusted wire scrapes through it.) When you do … Continue reading →

Posted in Meteorites, Science | Tagged meteorites, Pope Francis | Leave a reply

Across the Universe: Song of Praise

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on May 25, 2017 by Br. Guy ConsolmagnoMay 30, 2018
This entry is part 126 of 191 in the series Across the Universe

This column first ran in The Tablet in May 2016 When Pope Francis issued his groundbreaking encyclical, Laudato Sì, the Italian publishing house Elledici took the moment to reissue a book written in the 1960s by the Italian scientist Enrico Medi: Canitco di Frate Sole, a meditation on the Franciscan poem that gave Pope Francis his title. At that time, they asked me as the “Pope’s astronomer” to write an introduction for the book. On first anniversary of the Pope’s encyclical, in 2016, I was invited to Medi’s home town of Senigalia, on the Adriatic coast, to celebrate the publication of this book. I’d never heard of Medi; but I discovered that he was the spokesperson of his generation in Italy on faith and science. Reading his words, even with my poor Italian, I can see why. For example, in one chapter Medi begins with our scientific understanding of water as a marvelous molecule, but he arrives at finding in … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Outreach, Popular Culture | Tagged Francis, Laudato Si', Pope Francis, Water | Leave a reply

Across the Universe: Faith and Expectations

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on March 2, 2017 by Br. Guy ConsolmagnoMay 30, 2018
This entry is part 114 of 191 in the series Across the Universe

This column first ran in The Tablet in March 2013, soon after the election of Pope Francis How do I feel about a Pope who is not only a fellow Jesuit, but one who’s studied science (in his case, chemistry) as well? To be honest, I am terrified. For the past twenty years I have lived off the expectations that others have of Jesuits and scientists; now I am going to have to deal with someone who can see past the mystique. Familiarity breeds a certain discomfort. I can only imagine what it’s like for our Observatory’s director, Fr. Funes, who is himself not only a Jesuit and scientist but also from Argentina. [In fact, as it later came out, when José first began the process of entering the Jesuits as a young man, one of the Argentinian Jesuits who interviewed him was a certain Father Bergoglio…] Pope Francis’ chemistry background has not gone unnoticed in the scientific world. A … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Science | Tagged Philosophy of scie, Pope Francis | 2 Replies

COP21: Understanding the Paris Climate Change Conference in Light of Laudato Si’.

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on December 7, 2015 by Fr. James KurzynskiMarch 25, 2016
This entry is part of 27 in the series Integral Ecology

It’s no secret that one of Pope Francis’ goals with his Encyclical Laudato Si’ was to influence the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris (COP21).  So, how much influence is Laudato Si’ having upon COP21?  Since I am the pastor of a parish and not a member of the media, I’ll leave that question for others to answer.  However, by analyzing what is coming out of the meetings through the media, I feel confident in saying that COP21 is definitely adapting the same mentality Pope Francis encouraged the fathers (and mothers) of the Synod on Marriage and Family Life to have: Speak boldly and hold nothing back.  My proof of this is that, on the first day of the gathering, a coalition of close to 40 countries and a myriad of business leaders have called for an end to fossil fuel subsidies; France is investing two billion Euros to help Africa develop renewable energy sources; and a coalition of 11 countries, including the United States, has given 248 million … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Catholicism, Climate Change, COP21, Ecology, Emerging Economies, Environmental Ethics, Global Warming, Integral Ecology, Laudato Si', Pope Francis | Leave a reply

Catholicism, Evolution, and Intelligent Design: What is the Relationship?

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on March 27, 2015 by Fr. James KurzynskiMarch 28, 2015

Growing up as a Catholic youth in the 80’s and 90’s meant my vision of Catholicism was profoundly shaped by St. John Paul II. Whether it be camping out in Denver’s Cherry Creek Park at World Youth Day or trying to read his dense, philosophical writings, it seemed that almost every word that came from JPII’s mouth became the backdrop for how to interpret Jesus Christ and the Church. I emphasize the phrase “almost every word” because two areas of his writing that were not universally embraced were Catholic Social Teaching and Evolution. Though some argue over the intent of St. John Paul II’s statements about evolution in his 1996 Message on Evolution to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, the fact remains that he affirmed Pius XII’s teaching from Humani Generis that evolution is not in conflict with Church teaching as long as evolution is restricted to the material origin of ours bodies, affirming that the soul is created by God alone. (paragraph 36) When … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Uncategorized | Tagged Benedict XVI, Evolution, faith and science, Intelligent Design, Pius XII, Pope Francis, Saint John Paul II | 6 Replies
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Recent Posts

From The Backyard: Covid-19 Vaccines, Cultural Trauma, and the Orion Nebula

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on January 25, 2021 by Fr. James KurzynskiJanuary 25, 2021

It’s been a long, long time since I offered a “From the backyard” reflection. Part of the reason for this delay is the occupational hazard of all astro-buffs: Clouds! I can’t speak for other parts of the United States, but the cloud cover over Wisconsin has been epic. Clouds at … Continue reading…

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a reply

Specola Guestbook | September 25, 1983: Leo O’Donovan SJ

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on January 24, 2021 by Robert MackeJanuary 24, 2021
This entry is part 78 of 78 in the series Specola Guestbook

Since its founding in 1891, many people have passed through the doors of the Vatican Observatory.  A quick perusal of our guestbook reveals several Names, including Popes, Nobel laureates, astronauts, actors, and saints. Once again, we break the chronological sequence to highlight a name relevant to events of this past … Continue reading…

Posted in History, Popular Culture | Tagged Georgetown, Inauguration, O'Donovan, Specola Guestbook, Vatican Observatory, Weston | Leave a reply

Faith, Science and Astronomy Textbooks

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on January 23, 2021 by Christopher M. GraneyJanuary 19, 2021

Take a look at a new resource on the Vatican Observatory Faith and Science website!—brief reviews of astronomy textbooks from a “Faith and Science” perspective.  You will find all this under “Educational Resources”. The idea for these reviews arose from questions that Vatican Observatory/V.O. Foundation folks have received over time, … Continue reading…

Posted in Education | 1 Reply

Go Observe Plato

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on January 22, 2021 by Deirdre KelleghanJanuary 22, 2021

  Plato – Walled Plain by Deirdre Kelleghan February 25th 2007 – 20:45UT – 21:45UT 200mm/F6/6.3mm – Plossel/193X – 8.19days – 300gm Daler Rowney paper/DR soft pastels/Black watercolour pencil/wooden cocktail stick.   This blog was first published in January 2018. If you read this today January 22nd 2021 you should … Continue reading…

Posted in Astronomy, Education, Moon, Outreach | Tagged Astronomical Drawing, Moon drawing, Plato, Sketching | Leave a reply

ⓜ Full Moon-th Meetup: 28 January, 2021

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on January 21, 2021 by Br. Guy ConsolmagnoJanuary 19, 2021

Featuring Dr. Michelle Francl, and the latest news of the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope! Just for our paying members: on the next Full Moon, January 28, a week from when we are posting this, we’ll be holding our regular on-line meetup where we get to know and chat with each … Continue reading…

Posted in Announcement | Tagged Full Moon Zoom | Leave a reply

ⓜ Curiosity and the Exploration of Mars, II

Sacred Space Astronomy avatarPosted on January 21, 2021 by Br. Guy ConsolmagnoJanuary 16, 2021
This entry is part of 55 in the series And Then I Wrote

And then I wrote… this is the second half of the article I started last week, originally published in Italian in Civiltà Cattolica; this is the original English text. While much has developed since this article was written — see the links inserted here — I think the questions I raised then … Continue reading…

Posted in And Then I Wrote, Space Exploration | Tagged Mars, NASA Solar System Exploration | Leave a reply
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Recent Comments

  • Joel Hopko January 24, 2021 at 12:24 pm on Faith, Science and Astronomy TextbooksProfessor Graney -- Call me easily placated, but I was actually somewhat relieved that most of the texts reviewed at least attempted to provide some nuance to the Galileo narrative. Certainly an improvement over the "martyr for science" trope so frequently dispensed over popular media. Obviously much work remains, but...
  • Fr. James Kurzynski January 20, 2021 at 6:48 am on Space Missions In 2021: What Are You Most Excited To See In This New Year?Thanks Janine! I love your reflection on the Al Amal mission! I was so impressed with the video they produced and, yes, I can't wait to see the United Arab Emirates contribution to science! It's something that isn't mentioned much, but should be mentioned more: True science, by its very...
  • Janine Samz January 19, 2021 at 9:37 am on Space Missions In 2021: What Are You Most Excited To See In This New Year?Thank you, Father. Let's see. I am drawn to three! The Emirates one is interesting because of the extent of what they are looking for and from history I know the Arab culture used to be a leader in science. It would be interesting to see them at work again...
  • Christopher M. Graney January 19, 2021 at 8:59 am on “Cosmos: Possible Worlds”, 10-13: Goodbye to a Losing SeasonMy experience with students and the general public is that a reasonable number of people will be amazed by the real universe. For example, people who saw the conjunction on the 21st were generally amazed. But certainly Cosmos seems to think that stuff has to be over the top.
  • Stan Sienkiewicz January 16, 2021 at 9:17 am on “Cosmos: Possible Worlds”, 10-13: Goodbye to a Losing SeasonIt is a shame that the producers of the show are not amazed by the real world and need to enhance reality with special effects. I feel you are discussing a topic that is coming up quite often about our culture: the lack of astonishment. I recently had taken a...
  • Fernando Comeron January 15, 2021 at 5:22 am on JWST update – Hexagons in SpaceIncidentally, you can see that we at the European Southern Observatory (ESO, of which Ireland is a member too) did something that bears some resemblance several years ago. We invited visitors to our headquarters near Munich on the open doors day in 2011 to put hexagons together to reproduce a...
  • Fernando Comeron January 15, 2021 at 5:07 am on JWST update – Hexagons in SpaceNice article, Deirdre -and actually hexagons in space are very common, although very tiny. Carbon hexagonal cycles are at the basis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, a class of molecules that compose the cold interstellar medium. So hexagons are pretty much everywhere in the Universe!
  • Bob Trembley January 14, 2021 at 2:01 am on In the Sky This Week – January 12, 2021Thanks for keeping me honest! :) I corrected it to say "Mercury appears slightly higher above the horizon each evening." When you advance days in Stellarium at dusk, you see Jupiter and Saturn get lower each day, and Mercury getting higher. Venus gets a bit lower each morning in the...
  • Joseph O'Donnell January 12, 2021 at 10:03 am on In the Sky This Week – January 12, 2021"Mercury appears slightly higher above the horizon each morning" I believe you mean Venus or am I missing something?
  • Christopher M. Graney January 4, 2021 at 10:50 am on Carols versus Matthew on the Star of WonderVery interesting -- I had never read the "Gospel of James", or "Protoevangelium of James", until now. Below is its whole section about the star, for those not familiar with it. Remarkably, the same problem is found in it. It follows Matthew in talking about the magi. No one knows...
  • Christopher M. Graney January 4, 2021 at 10:43 am on Carols versus Matthew on the Star of WonderI should have been more clear. When I said "This sounds just like the Great Conjunction of 2020", I meant it sounds like that *kind* of thing -- something no one who was not an astronomer would have noticed it just by chance.
  • Alfred Kracher January 2, 2021 at 10:47 am on Carols versus Matthew on the Star of WonderEmbellishments of Matthew’s simple “star” into a spectacular miracle are all but irrresistible. Already in the apocryphal 2nd century Gospel of James it shines with an “incredible brilliance amidst the constellations and making them seem dim.” And over the centuries artists of all kinds have further expanded on these exaggerations,...
  • Fr. Timothy Sauppé January 2, 2021 at 5:30 am on Carols versus Matthew on the Star of WonderI thought the biggest objection to the Jupiter/Saturn conjunction being the “Star of Bethlehem” was the 800 year cycle of its occurrence viz. the timing is off. Also, I am reminded of a comment of an amateur astronomer when he went to Chile, up in the Andes. He said there...
  • Stan Sienkiewicz December 26, 2020 at 1:07 pm on The Sun Illuminates Fort AncientYes, while not quite following the astronomy it still is fascinating to see what these early N American people did to their environment. As to why they did it and your article disagreeing with the solstice explanation reminded me of the book, Motel of the Mysteries. It is a funny...
  • Joel Hopko December 24, 2020 at 1:09 pm on Bah! Humbug. Science.And a very Merry Christmas to you Professor. May your spirit and inquiring mind continue to brighten our New Year! Joel Hopko
  • Fr. Timothy Sauppé December 21, 2020 at 6:04 pm on Was Jesus Born on December 25? The Fight Between Inculturation and Radical Certitude.Just saw this Socrates In The City from 2005 with Eric Metaxas interviewing Colin Nicholl. His book and thesis is that the Star of Bethlehem was one big comet. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mT-8O8S_Fw&t=1s
  • Bob Prokop December 21, 2020 at 12:08 pm on Was Jesus Born on December 25? The Fight Between Inculturation and Radical Certitude.It's interesting that Tolkien chose March 25th as the date the One Ring was cast into the fires of Mount Doom (see the appendixes to The Return of the King for the date). It can't be a coincidence that the destruction of evil in Middle Earth coincides with the Annunciation...
  • Fr. Timothy Sauppé December 21, 2020 at 10:35 am on Was Jesus Born on December 25? The Fight Between Inculturation and Radical Certitude.Here is an interesting take by Liberato De Caro, Ph.D., of the Institute of Crystallography of the National Research Council in Bari, Italy, who led the research, proposes that the date of Jesus’ birth. He posits 1 BC for Jesus’ Birth. For your consideration. https://www.ncregister.com/blog/liberato-de-caro-nativity?utm_campaign=NCR%202019&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=102396683&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9xKkcgGuiy7rFyWiX8fgbgA63Wabi_9C-VcU6QmESl4QYoKUDYHXm6DrY_jGwbVptu0roDhgBz363uEIX8dd6P7oOaBQ&utm_content=102396683&utm_source=hs_email
  • Bob Prokop December 18, 2020 at 7:52 am on Pursuing the ConjunctionLooks like we're going to be clouded out here in Maryland. But I did get a good look at the two planets last night (Thursday). They were already practically on top of each other! So it has not been a total loss. By the way, your December 14th drawing is...
  • Fr. James Kurzynski December 14, 2020 at 6:42 am on Follow the Money, the Science, or the Theology? A Second Reflection on the Forthcoming Artemis Moon Mission.Thanks Ed! I so appreciate your thoughts! As a fellow "Star Trek" fan, I can appreciate you insight! :)

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