Kallistos Ware on the task of Christianity: "We see that it is not the task of Christianity to provide easy answers to every question, but to make us progressively aware of a mystery. God is not so much the object of our knowledge as the cause of our wonder."

It is now official: beginning March 1st 2025, Sister Raffaella Petrini, F.S.E, will serve the Church as the first woman Governor of Vatican City. Pope Francis has chosen a woman of deep faith in Jesus whose gifts of intelligence, humility and pragmatism will undoubtedly be a

In the lab, unexpected things happen all the time—sometimes they’re mistakes, sometimes they’re breakthroughs. MIT professor Ian Hutchinson is back and this week, reflects on his greatest scientific achievements and the moments of awe that led him to pause and give thanks to

Next “Macke MakerSpace” project in progress.

Progress report

Was playing with a story in which somebody says <weird thing> and the interlocutor responds, “That’s nothing. I once shared a flight with a werewolf during a full moon.” Once the image popped into my head, I had to try illustrating it.

This would totally happen to me in the same circumstances.

Dreaming of studying in Italy? ✨ Come experience life at CatholicTech with one of our upcoming Open House Weekends in March and April! 🏛️ Immerse yourself in campus life: ✔️ Sit in on classes ✔️ Stay overnight in our dorms ✔️ Tour the Vatican Observatory and Papal Palace ✔️

As both a planetary scientist and a philosopher, and as a colleague of both a member of the IAU committee that redefined "planet" and one of its principal critics, I find this XKCD fascinating Xkcd.com/3063/

Conclave starts today! They'll be shutting down cell service in the Vatican, but thankfully the comm blackout doesn't include Castel Gandolfo so I can continue to not receive calls simply because of poor reception instead of ecclesiopolitical necessity.

Pope Leo XIV told students in the Vatican Observatory summer school during an audience that scientific discovery and knowledge are meant to benefit all of humanity. He's pictured here with Br. Guy Consolmagno, SJ, director of the Vatican Observatory. ➡️ ow.ly/NxL050WaKt8

religionnews.com/2025/06/30/vat…

Anca and I were grateful and touched to receive the highest blessing today, from His Holiness, Pope Leo XIV on the 56th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. What an honor! We prayed for good health, long life, and prosperity for all humankind. #PopeLeoXIV

Paul VI observing the Moon from the Vatican Observatory on the night of the Moon Landing in 1969

With the Pope is Jesuit astrophysicist Fr. David Brown of Jesuits USA Central and Southern. David interviewed me for entrance into the Jesuits two decades ago, & after the formal interview concluded, he chatted we me at length about the existence of extraterrestrials! AMDG

Pope Leo speaks with Buzz Aldrin on the anniversary of the moon landing youtu.be/gKcIXsyEOfc?si… via YouTube

Well, the news is public now so I guess I can share this. Fr Richard D‘Souza S.J. is new Director of Vatican Observatory - Vatican News vaticannews.va/en/vatican-cit…

New toy (um, I mean valuable scientific instrument) in the lab

Temporal context can affect interpretation of literature. Take for example William Gibson’s Neuromancer (1984): “The sky above the port was the color of television, tuned to a dead channel.”