The Church celebrated its Jubilee Year throughout 2000, providing us at the Vatican Observatory with an opportunity to reflect on the significance of our work in light of the Church’s mission. Here I would like to share with you some thoughts on this topic by describing two events during the Church’s Jubilee celebration that inspired us to see our work in a fresh and more comprehensive way.

The first event took place on 25 May when John Paul II celebrated the Jubilee of Men and Women from the World of Learning in St. Peter’s Basilica. In his address to the scientists, the Pope spoke of the great challenge that faces us to know how to move from “phenomena to fundamentals” and to go beyond mere “experience to the spiritual realities” that truly explain those experiences. His Holiness insisted that rigorous scientific research is a genuine way to arrive at the source of all truth revealed to us in the Scriptures. “The exploration of both the micro and the macro cosmos,” he said, “is a song to God’s glory, which is reflected in everything in the universe.” During this exceptional occasion, the Pope reflected on why the true scientist is drawn, even unknowingly, to marvel at every new discovery and why he or she is both “astonished and humbled” at the immensity and complexity of it all and, at times, is brought to a “silent gasp.” In this sense, every true scientist is a contemplative.

The Holy Father continued his reflections on science and the Church’s mission in his address to the members of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, whom he received on 13 November in a Solemn Audience on the occasion of the Academy’s plenary assembly. The Pope echoed the assembly’s theme, “Science and Humanity’s Future,” by frequently referring to the “anthropological and humanistic dimension of science.” John Paul II challenged scientists when he said: “Science shines forth in all its value as a good capable of motivating our existence, as a great experience of freedom for truth, as a fundamental work of service. Through research each scientist grows as a human being and helps others to do likewise.” Thus, in addition to being contemplatives, we scientists are to be servants to those who wish to grow as human beings.

What a challenge-contemplatives and servants! Our Annual Reports describe the Vatican Observatory’s research, international collaborations, and public outreach. To all of you who read them, I submit that there is more to their content than meets the eye. I invite you to keep in mind the thoughts expressed by John Paul II on the occasions described above when you peruse these reports.

On that note, I would like to make one last reflection. The Superior of the Jesuits addressed a message during the Jubilee Year to all Jesuits during a meeting of those responsible for the various regions of our works throughout the world. The meeting was held at the birthplace of the Jesuits in Loyola, Spain. The Superior pleaded with Jesuits to see their works as universal, touching all of humankind. He asked us to respond to the fact that “people have become more internationally minded, moving out beyond their religious, cultural, national, and linguistic boundaries.”

So, in addition to being contemplatives and servants, we scientists at the Vatican Observatory must be so to all peoples! I hope that this Annual Report will be judged as the Observatory’s modest response to that challenge.

· Jos‚ Funes is investigating the rate at which stars formed in the first galaxies and how this helps us to understand the formation of galaxies themselves. With his colleagues, Funes is also finding evidence that the early universe witnessed dramatic interactions as young galaxies collided and merged. The photograph on the cover of this year’s Annual Report documents one such galactic collision.

Although we at the Vatican Observatory share the results of our research with colleagues around the world through professional publications and meetings, we also continue to be very much involved in spreading the good news about the universe to the public through lectures, popular books, and articles, as well as through the communications media. With this modest array of activities we hope to respond in some small way to the call to serve all peoples that the Pope and our Jesuit Superior made to us this year.

Galaxy Disks and Disk Galaxies Conference  In June the Vatican Observatory sponsored an international meeting at the Pontifical Gregorian University that brought together 230 astronomers to discuss the latest research on galaxy formation and evolution. The conference provided a unique opportunity for many young astrophysicists to associate closely with some of the most renowned senior scholars in the world.

Members of the Galaxy Conference organizing committee included (left) Jos‚ Funes, S.J., Vatican Observatory, and (right) Enrico M. Corsini, University of Padua. At center background is conference participant Fernando Comeron, European Southern Observatory. (Photo by Christopher Corbally, S.J.)

This was the first time in its history that the Pontifical Gregorian University hosted an international meeting sponsored by the Vatican Observatory. The university, located two blocks from Rome’s Trevi Fountain, is a descendant of the sixteenth-century Roman College. Such great personages in astronomy as Christoph Clavius and Angelo Secchi worked at the Roman College, paving the way for the foundation of the Vatican Observatory. The meeting is described in section III (Observatory and Staff Activities) of the Annual Report (and also in its website).

Scientific Perspectives on Divine Action Conference Series   Inspired by the 1988 message of John Paul II to the Director of the Vatican Observatory on the relationship of science and religion, the Observatory has collaborated with the Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences (CTNS) in Berkeley, California, on a series of conferences with the theme of “Scientific Perspectives on Divine Action.” The fifth and last conference was held in June. This conference series treated a range of scientific topics, including the origin of the universe, the evolution of life, neuroscience, and personality. The conferences sought to respond to the statement by John Paul II that “Science can purify religion from error and superstition; religion can purify science from idolatry and false absolutes. Each can draw one another into a wider world, a world in which each can flourish.” The conference is described in section III (Observatory and Staff Activities) of the Annual Report.

The Cosmology Prize  The Vatican Observatory helped to organize the inaugural awards ceremony for the Peter Gruber Foundation’s Cosmology Prize, which was given to distinguished astronomers Allan R. Sandage of the Observatories of the Carnegie Institution of Washington and Philip James E. Peebles of Princeton University. The award was presented on 9 November at the Pontifical Academy of Sciences. Both recipients had participated in several epoch-making meetings of the Academy and of the Observatory.

Martin F. McCarthy Scholarship   The Vatican Observatory awarded the Martin F. McCarthy Scholarship in Astrophysics to Nadezhda Gorlova of the Ukraine. A graduate of the Vatican Observatory Summer School 1999, she will pursue graduate studies in the Department of Astronomy at the University of Arizona. This is the sixth time that the scholarship, which honors retired Observatory astronomer Martin F. McCarthy, S.J., has been awarded.

Personnel News

Christopher Corbally, S.J., was appointed to serve a second term as president of the Institute on Religion in an Age of Science. He also received a number of appointments during the 24th General Assembly of the International Astronomical Union (IAU): chairman of the Working Group for Standard Stars; vice president for Commission 45 (Stellar Classification); national liaison for Vatican City State to Commission 46 (Astronomy Education and Development); and member of the Resolutions Committee for the IAU’s 25th General Assembly. Corbally remains the Vatican City State’s national representative to the IAU.

Guy J. Consolmagno, S.J. held the MacLean Chair for Visiting Jesuit Scholars during the Spring 2000 semester at St. Joseph's University, Philadelphia. His duties included teaching two regular classes in the Physics Department, conducting a special seminar on astrophysics for senior physics majors, and delivering the MacLean Lecture.

The Vatican Observatory joined with family, friends, and colleagues to celebrate the more than 40 years of service given by Martin F. McCarthy, S.J. to the Observatory. The event was held 15 April at the Campion Residence and Renewal Center in Weston, Massachusetts, where McCarthy has resided since retiring in 1999. On this occasion McCarthy was awarded the Pro Pontifice et Ecclesiae award by His Holiness John Paul II. He also received a personal congratulatory letter from the Very Reverend Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, Superior General of the Society of Jesus.

News of the Jesuit Community in Tucson

To celebrate the Jubilee Year, Richard J. Murphy, S.J., Vice Superior of the Jesuit Community of the Vatican Observatory in Tucson, organized a series of evening events to which various ministries of the Diocese of Tucson were invited. The gatherings featured popular presentations about the Observatory’s work followed by dinner.

From 10 to 14 May, Guillermo Rodr¡guez-Izquierdo, S.J., Delegate of the Father General of the Jesuits, together with his assistant, Jos‚ M. Feliu, S.J., paid an official visit to the Vatican Observatory Research Group in Tucson.

The annual meeting of the members and directors of the Vatican Observatory Foundation was held on 25 February in Tucson, Arizona. The following were elected to serve as members and directors for a 3-year period: RICHARD P. BOYLE, S.J.; EMMANUEL M. CARREIRA, S.J.; CHARLES L. CURRIE, S.J.; KAREN DALBY; SHEILA GRINELL; and BRENDAN D. THOMSON. On the day before the annual meeting members of the Observatory staff made popular presentations of their research during a seminar for friends of the Observatory and members of the Board. On the day after the annual meeting, the same group was accompanied on an excursion to the Mt. Graham International Observatory where the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope is located.

Through the efforts of Development Director NANCY KNOCHE and Chair of the Development Committee JAMES McGEE, the Foundation initiated two giving plans through its Vatican Observatory Guild. The guild’s annual giving program is called Reaching for the Heavens with different levels honoring Copernicus, Galileo, Newton, and Hubble. Major donors are invited to join the Circles of Giving, with levels honoring the following eminent persons in the history of the Church and science: John Paul II, Leo XIII, Gregory XIII, Pius XI, Angelo Secchi, S.J., Eusebio Kino, S.J., Christoph Clavius, S.J., and Georges LemaŒtre. A festive dinner is planned for the next Board meeting to welcome 49 major donors into the Circles of Giving.

The official 2001 Vatican Observatory calendar was once again published through the efforts of BRENDAN D. THOMSON. The theme is “New Beginnings.”

George V. Coyne, S.J., Director