Re: [asa] Vatican Astronomer

Keith, thanks so much for posting this letter. It's refreshing to read the
truth admidst all of the whirling dervishes of spin.

Denyse, do forward this to your ID friends.

Bob

----- Original Message -----
From: "Keith Miller" <kbmill@ksu.edu>
To: "American Scientific Affiliation" <asa@calvin.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, August 29, 2006 6:53 PM
Subject: [asa] Vatican Astronomer

> To all:
>
> I received a copy of this letter to the astronomy community from the new
> director of the Vatican Observatory that was posted to another listserve.
> This seems to counter some of the more dire interpretations of the
> retirement of Coyne.
>
> Keith
>
>
>
> ---------------------------- Original
> essage ----------------------------
> Subject: New Director of the Vatican Observatory
> From: José G. Funes, S.J.Date: Sun, August 27, 2006 1:36 pm
> ----------------------------------------------------------
>
> Hello everyone,
> Probably you may have learned that I have been appointed new Director of
> the Vatican Observatory. At the time of the appointment, I was
> participating in the IAU General Assembly in Prague and George Coyne was
> taking a very well deserved vacation. I've talked to George on the phone
> and we both agreed that I would send a message making the "official
> announcement".
>
> Unfortunately, The Daily Mail has published an article entitled "Pope
> Sacks Astronomer Over Evolution Debate". This article is absolutely
> false.
>
> In May, after 28 years, George asked our superiors if they didn't think
> it
> was time for the Vatican Observatory to select a new director and they
> agreed to accept his resignation as well as appoint a new director.
> George
> will take a year's sabbatical in Raleigh, N.C., before rejoining the
> Vatican Observatory in September 2007. He continues to direct the Vatican
> Observatory Foundation.
>
> All the staff are most grateful to George for his years of inspired
> directorship. Personally, I am very happy that George Coyne will
> continue as President of the Vatican Observatory Foundation and that
> after
> the sabbatical year he will be back with the Vatican Observatory. We need
> George back. I am also quite pleased and happy with the full support that
> I have from all the staff, included George.
>
> The Vatican Observatory I "receive" is in very good shape. We enjoy being
> at Steward Observatory and I hope that we continue this very fruitful
> collaboration.
>
> Finally, I would like to say that we, at the Vatican Observatory, we try
> hard to keep up with the pace of the most recent astronomical
> developments. Since last week we now have two categories of directors;
> the
> giant, classic directors and the “dwarf” ones. George Coyne belongs to
> the
> first category and the current director... literally belongs to the
> second one.
>
> Jose Funes, S.J.
>
> --
> José G. Funes, S.J.
> Specola Vaticana
> Vatican Observatory
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> ---
>
>
>
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Received on Tue Aug 29 21:11:27 2006