"The Heavens Proclaim: Astronomy and the Vatican"

Lecture given by Br. Guy Consolmagno on Fri, March 4, 2016. Presented by the Bishop Keane Institute, a Ministry of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. About This Lecture: The roots of the Vatican Observatory go back to the Gregorian Reform of the Calendar in 1582, and it has been part of an extensive history of Church support for astronomy (Galileo to the contrary!) Its modern mission for the last hundred years is to show there is no inherent conflict between science and religion by simply being people supported by the Church whose sole mission is to "do good science." We'll look into the history of this activity, including a summary of what's being done at the Vatican Observatory today. About Br. Guy Consolmagno, SJ: Brother Guy Consolmagno SJ, a Jesuit brother, is Director of the Vatican Observatory and the President of the Vatican Observatory Foundation. He studies planets, meteorites and asteroids. He is a native of Detroit, Michigan, received BA and MA degrees from MIT, and earned his PhD in Planetary Sciences from the University of Arizona in 1978. Along with more than 200 scientific publications, he is the author of six popular astronomy books. In 2014 he received the Carl Sagan Medal from the American Astronomical Society Division for Planetary Sciences for excellence in public communication in planetary sciences. About the Bishop Keane Institute: The Bishop Keane Institute, a ministry of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, takes its name and animating spirit from the fifth bishop of Richmond and the founding rector of Catholic University, John J. Keane (1839 – 1918). The Institute serves as a gathering place for learning, conversation and community. Its primary effort, the Bishop Keane Institute Lecture Series, brings the leading voices in Catholic thought, ministry and education to Hampton, VA, as a way of engaging and energizing the Hampton Roads community to participate fully in the mission of Christ’s Church. Learn more at keaneinstitute.org About Immaculate Conception Catholic Church: Erected in 1968, Immaculate Conception Catholic Church is a community of faith that gathers weekly for worship, while also supporting ongoing efforts in community building, faith formation and service. Learn more at icchampton.org --- To learn more about our 2016 speakers, visit keaneinstitute.org And to get to know our parish, visit us at icchampton.org