Vatican City, Jun 20, 2023 / 13:30 pm
Pope Francis sent a letter to young astronomy scholars Tuesday encouraging them to maintain their “sense of wonder” and surprise throughout their research. While praising the “great discoveries” of astronomy, he urged the researchers never to lose sight of other important realities such as love and friendship.
“Perhaps the most amazing thing about this universe is that it contains creatures like us, men and women who possess the ability to observe it with wonder and to ‘interrogate’ it,” Pope Francis said in a June 20 greeting to students and faculty of the Vatican Observatory Summer School.
The pontiff drew inspiration from Psalm 8.
“Indeed, when the Psalmist asks, ‘What is man that you should keep him in mind, mortal man that you care for him,’ he immediately goes on to say, ‘Yet you have made him little less than a God; with glory and honor you crowned him,’” the pope said.