Pope: Understanding the universe brings us closer to God

Faith and reason cooperate in the service of an integral understanding of man and his place in the universe. This is what Benedict XVI underlined in his speech to the participants in the conference sponsored by the Specola Vaticana, the Vatican Observatory, for the International Year of Astronomy.The Pope expressed his gratitude for the careful studies which have clarified the precise historical context of Galileos condemnation, and noted that understanding the universe brings us closer to the marvels of creation and to the contemplation of the Creator.In Christ, the new Adam, the Pope said, we understand the true centre of the universe and history, and in Him, the incarnate Logos, we discover our …