SelectPlusThe Vatican's Take on Aliens?The Vatican's Take on Aliens?The Associated PressAccording to the Vatican's chief astronomer, believing that the universe may contain alien life does not contradict a faith in God. (June 8)he Gandolfo Castle perched above a glistening green lake near Rome has a magical aura. It is the Pope's summer residence, and it is here that Vatican astronomers have for decades studied the heavans.Perched on the roof of this 17th century castle are two domes holding telescopes that Vatican astronomers have been using since the 1930s.Now they have much more powerful telescopes for their research located in Tucson, Arizona, but it is here at Castel Gandolfo that the astronomers have their headquarters. One would almost expect to find the wizard Gandalf from the "Lord of the Rings" striding through the long hallways in his dark robes, with his wooden staff and flowing beard. But, instead, inside the walls of this Castle an unassuming Jesuit from Argentina leads the Vatican Astronomical research and has recently caused an uproar by opening a debate about aliens.SOUNDBITE FATHER JOSE GABRIEL FUNES, CHIEF VATICAN ASTRONOMER, IN ENGLISH" In a universe so big, huge I would say, as the one where we live with 100 billion of galaxies, each galaxy with a hundred billion stars probably with many of these stars having planets, it could be possible that life could evolve as they way we know on earth." Father Funes says he is not sure if other forms of life would be more or less intelligent than humans, but he is convinced that the existence of Aliens is not a contradiction with the Catholic faith.There has been no word from top vatican officials about Funes' comments, but some people on the street find them odd. Richard Charnock was taking a group from the All Hallows Catholic High School on a trip to Italy when he heard about the comments from the Vatican astronomerSOUNDBITE RICHARD CHARNOCK, COORDINATOR RELIGIOUS EDUCATION, ALL HALLOWS CATHOLIC HIGHSCHOOL, in English"I think it is preposterous that they are saying that--there is one human that god created --. We can go back to the bible. He didn't create Adam, eve and ET did he, it was Adam and Eve. It goes against what we believe as Christians." STAND-UPWe probably won't be seeing aliens attending mass any time soon, but the Vatican's chief astronomer says that they could be other forms of life outside earth and if they are out there, he says they are God's Creatures.Tt, Castel Gandolfo, Italy
