Vatican Observatory director’s orbit to cross NZ again

Br Guy Consolmagno SJ first travelled to New Zealand in 1996 as part of a trip that featured collecting meteorites from the East Antarctic Plateau and a New Year’s Eve concert headlined by iconic band The Muttonbirds. His visits have included astronomical observations from Lake Tekapo, exploration of Great Barrier Island and a well-attended speaking tour in 2019.

During the upcoming visit, Br Guy will give talks in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Timaru in early August, as well as spending time at a number of world-renowned sites for stargazing.

As a member of the Society of Jesus, his tour will commence with an event at St Ignatius of Loyola Catholic College in Drury, which opened last year with a Jesuit charism.

He will speak at other Catholic schools, at Te Kupenga – Catholic Leadership Institute campuses, at a Christchurch parish and at universities as he makes his way down the country.

While he is looking forward to renewing friendships and offering his thoughts with new groups of people, Br Guy concedes the Southern Hemisphere skies hold great appeal.

“New Zealand is one of the few places of dry land on Earth that’s at the same latitude south as the places where I have lived in the north. Southern stars are not to be missed,” he said.

“But I say that in part because I know that the stars (if not the clear skies needed to see them) can be predicted. The more important part of the trip, the people, can’t be predicted; I am prepared to be surprised.”

Br Guy said that after decades of speaking, “I’ve noticed in the past five years or so a fascinating shift in the sorts of questions I get and the attitudes that people have”.

“My fellow scientists are much more open now to questions of faith than they were 30 years ago, while there’s been a lot less faith in science among the general public,” he said.

“I will be fascinated to see what sorts of questions and conversations I have when I get to New Zealand, to see how these changes are playing out there.”

Te Kupenga acting chief executive John Kleinsman said the tertiary provider is pleased to be supporting Br Guy’s visit.

“We encourage people to come and hear about some of the wonders of our creation from someone who gazes upon it and reflects on it through a lens of faith,” he said.

A high school student, Mia Boothroyd, who attended one of Br Guy’s 2019 talks in New Zealand is now a doctoral astronomy student attending the Vatican Observatory Summer School.

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Head of Vatican Observatory preparing for fourth NZ trip – New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference (NZCBC)