[By David Willey, BBC News, Rome]
The Pope's chief astronomer says that life on Mars cannot be ruled out.
Writing in the Vatican newspaper, the astronomer, Father Gabriel Funes, said intelligent beings created by God could exist in outer space.
Father Funes, director of the Vatican Observatory near Rome, is a respected scientist who collaborates with universities around the world.
The search for forms of extraterrestrial life, he says, does not contradict belief in God.
The official Vatican newspaper headlines his article 'Aliens Are My Brother'.
'Free from sin'
Just as there are multiple forms of life on earth, so there could exist intelligent beings in outer space created by God. And some aliens could even be free from original sin, he speculates.
Asked about the Catholic Church's condemnation four centuries ago of the Italian astronomer and physicist, Galileo, Father Funes diplomatically says mistakes were made, but it is time to turn the page and look towards the future.
Science and religion need each other, and many astronomers believe in God, he assures readers.
To strengthen its scientific credentials, the Vatican is organising a conference next year to mark the 200th anniversary of the birth of the author of the Origin of Species, Charles Darwin.
Writing in the Vatican newspaper, the astronomer, Father Gabriel Funes, said intelligent beings created by God could exist in outer space.
Father Funes, director of the Vatican Observatory near Rome, is a respected scientist who collaborates with universities around the world.
The search for forms of extraterrestrial life, he says, does not contradict belief in God.
The official Vatican newspaper headlines his article 'Aliens Are My Brother'.
'Free from sin'
Just as there are multiple forms of life on earth, so there could exist intelligent beings in outer space created by God. And some aliens could even be free from original sin, he speculates.
Asked about the Catholic Church's condemnation four centuries ago of the Italian astronomer and physicist, Galileo, Father Funes diplomatically says mistakes were made, but it is time to turn the page and look towards the future.
Science and religion need each other, and many astronomers believe in God, he assures readers.
To strengthen its scientific credentials, the Vatican is organising a conference next year to mark the 200th anniversary of the birth of the author of the Origin of Species, Charles Darwin.
Now that space research has discovered that extra terrestrial life is almost certain to exist and it is only a matter of time before we find it, the Catholic church scrambles to incorporate the idea into their belief system. Now they are busy inventing ways to tie aliens in to the Christian world view. They are so obviously worried that discovery of alien life will lead to the loss of more and more adherents to their faith as people gradually realize that Christianity is based on an outdated and very narrow vision of the universe. Science does not need religion as claimed by Father Funes and in fact religion has generally held back scientific advancement when new discoveries showed that religious claims about the nature of existence were incorrect. After all religions and Christianity certainly being no exception, are made up with the purpose of attracting followers that will do whatever the leaders of that religion wish them to do for example; give them money, have sex with them, provide them with lives of luxury while the rest live in poverty etc
The Catholic church has only ever supported science as a means of prolonging its own survival by attempting to attain credibility as a forward thinking organization. It is not! It is oppressive and continues to perpertrate beliefs that cause huge damage and suffering in the world such as it's stance on use of condoms. Do not be taken in by the Catholic churches pretence of support for scientific research. It is a self serving lie!
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