Mrs. Jimenez Studies at Vatican Observatory

“The fact that we have a Universe that can be understood points to a God who wants to be understood and who wants us to understand Him, who is Love.” -Fr. Gabor paraphrased by Fr. James Kurzynski

Upper School science teacher Karen Jimenez attended the 2019 Faith and Astronomy Workshop sponsored by the Vatican Observatory Foundation this past January. The four-day workshop in Tucson, Arizona, is “designed to bring those in Catholic parishes and schools an up-to-date overview of the universe: from the Big Bang working, to the search for life in the universe, to our exploration of the planets… as seen through the eyes of the Jesuit priests and brothers who work at the Vatican’s own astronomical observatory.”

“Rather than seeing science as the enemy, we see it as a call to pilgrimage,” said Mrs. Jimenez. “We were not there to get quick soundbite answers to the age-old questions. In fact, the workshop did not aim to provide answers at all; we were there to delve more deeply into the questions.”

Mrs. Jimenez has always been fascinated with science and faith, her two favorite subjects. She loved to discuss these topics in her youth groups and in college, trying to tackle the great questions of origin. More recently, she has attended workshops concerning science and faith at the local Ignatius House Jesuit Retreat Center for the past three years. One of those workshops was led by the President of the Vatican Observatory Foundation Br. Guy Consolmagno, S.J., who Mrs. Jimenez described as a cross between “nerdy scientist and peaceful Jesuit.” His talk encouraged her to apply for his Faith and Astronomy Workshop.

“Brother Guy hosted the Vatican Observatory workshop, which included presentations by Jesuit astronomers, parish priests, and university professors, and included behind-the-scenes tours of the labs producing the mirrors for the Giant Magellan Telescope, the headquarters of the OSIRIS-REx mission to the asteroid Bennu, and Biosphere 2.”

Mrs. Jimenez said, “Listening to all the different astronomers present in their areas of expertise, one thing that struck me was how open they were to discovery. They did not embark on the mission to the asteroid Bennu with expectations of what kind of rock they would find. Rather, they were giddy with excitement not knowing what they would discover. In the true spirit of scientific exploration, their eyes were wide with wonder, ready to add any little piece of data to their current data set so they might color a little bit clearer picture.

Each day concluded with Mass, one of which was celebrated by Bishop Edward Weisenburger, with a large window overlooking the saguaro cacti of the Sonoran Desert behind the altar. “The picture that they were painting—a deeper understanding of the Universe—also gives insight to the God who created it,” Mrs. Jimenez said. “Each time we look more deeply at the beauty of the Universe and the planet we call home, we are entering more profoundly into unity with our Father.”

What does this mean for educators of science or theology? What does it mean for our students? “We must continue asking questions, continue searching,” said Mrs. Jimenez. “It is in the asking that authentic understanding and encounters with God take place. We need to be willing to embark on that journey with others, with fellow educators, and especially with our students, to encourage the relationship with God.”

A related passion for Mrs. Jimenez, she expects to clarify and establish the place for evolution in Catholic education through writing a handbook on the topic. “The handbook is in its infancy phase,” explained Mrs. Jimenez. “I’m still just brainstorming and writing as ideas come to me, but I want tackle topics that are often misunderstood and set some basic premises.”