Galileo in Faith and Science
Fr. Lawrence Machia, OSB, PhD Candidate
November 9, 2023
Lawrence Machia, OSB
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Lawrence Machia is a monk in the Order of St. Benedict, which he entered at St. Vincent Archabbey in Pennsylvania. Following solemn profession of vows in 2016, Lawrence was ordained a priest in 2018. In 2020 he began his doctoral studies in Astrophysics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Now a 4th year PhD Candidate, Fr. Lawrence's research concerns high-speed, all-sky imaging. His research employs large arrays of hundreds of earth-based telescopes to study the night sky. He is currently working on the recently funded Argus Array Project.
Fr. Lawrence has been interested in Galileo for some time- having given a presentation on the Galileo affair previously to the Society of Catholic Scientists. In tonight's presentation, Lawrence covers the history of science and the Catholic Church's role in that history. The topic of Galileo's faith is discussed in depth, as well as the story of his disputes with other Catholic scientists and church hierarchy. |
Ethics in Genetics from the life of Jérôme Lejeune
Lance Jubic, PhD
July 27, 2023
Lance Jubic is a geneticist with scientific interests in crop engineering and plant immune response. Jubic earned his PhD in Genetics and Molecular Biology from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2021. In his June 27th presentation, Jubic summarizes the outstanding contributions of Jérôme Lejeune to the science of human genetic research as well as his contributions to medical ethics. Lejeune, a 20th century French physician, discovered the genetic cause of Down Syndrome during his scientific studies in the 1950s. Having identified the origin of Down Syndrome as a chromosomal anomaly, Lejeune worked tirelessly to identify a possible treatment to help those with the syndrome. Other physicians, however, pioneered Lejeune's own discovery to advance selective abortion of infants with Down Syndrome. During this time Lejeune became an outspoken critic of eugenics and openly advanced the human rights of individuals with Down Syndrome. Lejeune gave up hopes of career advancement in order to serve people with genetic disorders such as Down, Cri du chat, among others. Lejeune's case for canonization was advanced by Pope Francis in 2021. Jubic highlights the roll of Catholic scientists such as Lejeune, Mendel, Lemaître, and others not just in revealing the complexities of creation but also in guiding ethical principles of modern science and medicine. Jubic concludes with a call for increased involvement of faith and ethical thinkers in the sciences.
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Lance Jubic, PhD |
First Gathering of The Oblates of St. Leibowitz
June 9, 2023
In the Spring of 2023 our community of scholars, scientists, physicians, and thinkers became enamored with Walter Miller’s novel A Canticle for Leibowitz. We passed around over one hundred copies between us and discussions of the classic novel seemed inexhaustible. We were impressed by the novel’s offense against claims of techno-salvation in modernity, along with rich world-building and a compelling narrative. We realized that the themes of Canticle are pertinent to our own lives. Walter Miller’s novel offers an interpretation of our past where theology is foundational to civilization, rather than a feature of it. The ecclesiocentric world of Canticle demands a measured response from those willing and able to speak to ethics and morality in the domain of science and technology- or perhaps more accurately science and technology in the domain of ethics and morality.
Rather than infinitely ruminating on this book, we decided to gather as a community. |