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Director For The Vatican Observatory Will Be In Hopkinsville For Solar Eclipse

Vatican Observatory Foundation Facebook Page

The director of the Vatican Observatory will speak in Hopkinsville for the August 21st solar eclipse.

Brother Guy Consolmagno will speak on the confluence of religion and science the day before the eclipse.

Jim Creighton is the Eclipse Communications Coordinator for Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church. He said his speech will address the stereotype that science and faith can’t exist together.

“How do you mesh the two? What does the church really think about this? Is science the pure and simple answer? No, but it’s a lot of the answer. Is faith the whole answer? No." Creighton said. "So somebody’s got to wrap their head around it and it’s probably not you and me.”

Creighton said the event is two years in the making, and credits astronomy-enthusiast Father Richard Meredith with setting up Consolmagno's visit for the eclipse. He said he's worked with many pastor's over the years and said all of them have been "well educated and very inquisitive."

According to their website, The Vatican Observatory claims to be one of the oldest astronomical institutes in the world, tracing their beginnings back to 1582.

Creighton said the modern Vatican Observatory sits near the Pope's summer home outside of Rome. The institution also has a second research center located in Tucson, Arizona, in collaboration with the University of Arizona.

According to the Vatican Observatory site, Consolmagno is from Detriot, Michigan, and has been studying planetary science for more than 40 years. He started working at the Vatican Observatory in 1993 and was named Director by Pope Francis in 2015. 

Consolmagno’s speech titled "Faith and Science" begins at 6 p.m. on August 20. Creighton said 500 are seats available in the church.

Taylor is a recent Murray State University graduate where she studied journalism and history. When she's not reporting for WKMS, she enjoys creative writing and traveling. She loves writing stories that involve diversity, local culture and history, nature and recreation, art and music, and national or local politics. If you have a news tip or idea, shoot her an email at tinman1@murraystate.edu!
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