(ZENIT News / Vatican City, 08/26/2024).- «Spirituality and Astronomy 2024: ‘When they saw the star they felt great joy’» is the theme of the workshop that will take place from August 30 to September 1 at the Vatican Observatory . The meeting will include introductory conferences, moments of prayer and sharing, as well as visits to telescopes and evenings dedicated to sky observation. Participants will be accompanied by members of the Jesuit community, researchers from the Vatican Observatory, lecturers and astrophiles.
The workshop will open, on Friday, August 30, with a general introduction by the Jesuit Brother Guy J. Consolmagno, director of the Vatican Observatory, followed by a conference by the Jesuit Father Gabriele Gionti, deputy director of the Vatican Observatory for Castel Gandolfo, who will develop the theme: «Scientific apostolate of the Society of Jesus, Jesuit scientists from Clavius to Coyne». A mass will then be celebrated in Castel Gandolfo, followed by a guided tour of the telescopes in the Pontifical Palace. Around 9:00 p.m., astrophile Claudio Costa will illustrate the Specola Visitor Center and facilitate sky observations.
The next day, Saturday, August 31, at the inauguration, Monsignor Tomasz Trafny, of the General Secretariat of the Synod, will give a lecture on: “Spirituality and astronomy”, followed by the lecture “Look at the sky and count the stars”, at charge of Sister Irene Tranquillini, of the Ursuline Daughters of Mary Immaculate. Next there will be a debate and discussion session between the participants divided into groups. It will then be possible to observe the sun from the Specola patio. In the afternoon, Monsignor Carlo Maria Polvani, deputy undersecretary of the Dicastery for Culture and Education, will speak on “The impact of scientific culture on contemporary culture.” He will be followed by the astronomer associated with the Vatican Observatory, Don Matteo Galaverni, from the diocese of Reggio Emilia-Guastalla, who will speak on “Open questions in cosmology, what we (don’t) know.” The day will conclude with the celebration of a mass in the Specola Vaticana building.
For Sunday, September 1, the program includes, from 4 to 5 in the morning, observations of the sky from the courtyard of the Vatican Observatory, followed by a moment of prayer led by Father Guidalberto Bormolini. Next, the Jesuit philosopher and physicist Father Robert Janusz will develop the topic: “Christian spirituality and creation.” Next, Father Guidalberto Bormolini will speak on “Cosmology of the ancient peoples to the Fathers of the Church.” A final review will precede the mass in the Specola with which the meeting will conclude.
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