This is the best “Eclipse 2024” story you’ll hear

[Michie]

This account is perhaps the sort of thing that people who hold to certain stereotypes about religious people and science might never imagine.
No doubt you have heard a lot of “Eclipse 2024” stories. I think the best you will hear is that of the “Total Solar Eclipse Faith & Science Retreat” at the Mother of the Redeemer Retreat Center near Bloomington, Indiana, in the USA. This retreat was not organized by the Vatican Observatory, but there were a lot of people with VO connections there. Br. Guy Consolmagno, the Director of the VO was there. So was Fr. James Kurzynski, the priest who provided the impetus for the VO’s biennial Astronomy for Catholics in Ministry and Education (ACME) program and who writes for the VO’s blog, Sacred Space Astronomy. So was Dr. Brenda Frye, who has also written for Sacred Space, among various other things (more about her in a minute). I was there too.

This retreat was located in the bucolic countryside of Indiana west of Bloomington. Think of rolling hills, bubbling brooks, woods just beginning to show faint halos of green and gold. White wildflowers are popping up everywhere. Redbud trees line the edges of woods, in their full glow of … pink (not red).

The retreat was attended by roughly a dozen priests and even a couple of bishops, but most of the attendees were ordinary laypeople. Most of those laypeople had no scientific training, or perhaps owned a small telescope and did some stargazing or astro-photography. Some had never even looked through a telescope before. Some were young parents, so there were a couple of 18-month-olds crawling around on the floor and occasionally making noise or trying to get up onto the speakers’ platform. Tech support was handled by a group of Franciscan friars whose community (The Franciscans of the Immaculate) is adjacent to the retreat center.

Continued below.

This is the best "Eclipse 2024" story you'll hear

This account is perhaps the sort of thing that people who hold to certain stereotypes about religious people and science might never imagine.

aleteia.org

 

[AlexB23]

This account is perhaps the sort of thing that people who hold to certain stereotypes about religious people and science might never imagine.
No doubt you have heard a lot of “Eclipse 2024” stories. I think the best you will hear is that of the “Total Solar Eclipse Faith & Science Retreat” at the Mother of the Redeemer Retreat Center near Bloomington, Indiana, in the USA. This retreat was not organized by the Vatican Observatory, but there were a lot of people with VO connections there. Br. Guy Consolmagno, the Director of the VO was there. So was Fr. James Kurzynski, the priest who provided the impetus for the VO’s biennial Astronomy for Catholics in Ministry and Education (ACME) program and who writes for the VO’s blog, Sacred Space Astronomy. So was Dr. Brenda Frye, who has also written for Sacred Space, among various other things (more about her in a minute). I was there too.

This retreat was located in the bucolic countryside of Indiana west of Bloomington. Think of rolling hills, bubbling brooks, woods just beginning to show faint halos of green and gold. White wildflowers are popping up everywhere. Redbud trees line the edges of woods, in their full glow of … pink (not red).

The retreat was attended by roughly a dozen priests and even a couple of bishops, but most of the attendees were ordinary laypeople. Most of those laypeople had no scientific training, or perhaps owned a small telescope and did some stargazing or astro-photography. Some had never even looked through a telescope before. Some were young parents, so there were a couple of 18-month-olds crawling around on the floor and occasionally making noise or trying to get up onto the speakers’ platform. Tech support was handled by a group of Franciscan friars whose community (The Franciscans of the Immaculate) is adjacent to the retreat center.

Continued below.

This is the best "Eclipse 2024" story you'll hear

This account is perhaps the sort of thing that people who hold to certain stereotypes about religious people and science might never imagine.

aleteia.org

Aww, this is wholesome. We must listen to Psalm 111:2 and study God's Creation, including the massive cathedral of sky known as the universe.

Psalm 111:2 "Great are the works of the Lord, studied by all who delight in them." This verse expresses admiration for God's great creation and works. Scientists engage with these works through their research and discovery. Faith and science complement each other, as both can acknowledge God's presence and power in the natural world. Scientific inquiry can be driven by a belief in a deeper meaning to the universe and a recognition of God's involvement. The verse affirms that studying God's works deepens our appreciation for and connection to God.


Here is a summary of the article for those who appreciate faith and science:

The article by Christopher M. Graney, published on April 11, 2024, recounts an extraordinary event called the "Total Solar Eclipse Faith & Science Retreat" held at the Mother of the Redeemer Retreat Center in Bloomington, Indiana. This retreat was not organized by the Vatican Observatory but was attended by several individuals with connections to it, including Br. Guy Consolmagno, the Director of the Vatican Observatory, Fr. James Kurzynski, and Dr. Brenda Frye.

The retreat took place in picturesque rural Indiana and was attended by a diverse group of individuals, including priests, bishops, ordinary laypeople, and even young families with small children. The retreat included social activities, food, music, stargazing, prayer, Masses, confessions, and various walks for spiritual reflection.

One of the highlights of the retreat was the latest scientific research presentations by leading scientists such as Dr. Jeffrey Cooke and Dr. Brenda Frye. Cooke discussed his work on gravitational waves and attempted some comedy, while Frye, an Associate Professor of Astronomy at the University of Arizona, talked about her team's discovery of a distant supernova and the new measurement of the universe's expansion rate. This discovery was so significant that NASA interrupted its schedule to allow Frye's team to use the James Webb Space Telescope for further observation.

The retreat was a unique blend of faith and science, showcasing the best of both worlds in a joyful and engaging atmosphere. All talks from the retreat are available from the Franciscans of the Immaculate, along with a chaotic live-stream of the eclipse observation itself. The event was marked by clear skies on the Feast of the Annunciation and served as a reminder that religious people and scientists can come together to explore the wonders of the universe.