Initially it was for a practical reason, to reform the Julian Calendar, like so many national observatories that were started, e.g., to improve navigation at sea; later at the establishment of the present form of the Vatican Observatory in 1891, for an apologetic purpose, in the sense of defending the Catholic Church's positive regard for science; now to join in doing good science in a way that is possible, given the Vatican's other concerns, as part of the consequence that the Incarnation of Christ applies to all human activity.

From Leo XIII's letter, Motu Proprio, establishing the Vatican Observatory in 1891, to show that "the Church and her Pastors are not opposed to true and solid science, whether human or divine, but that they embrace it, encourage it, and promote it with the fullest possible dedication": i.e., to counteract claims of obscurantism on part of Church. Now its mission is more to do good science, for its own sake, and to be a bridge between Church and Science (see Interdisciplinary Studies).

No - despite the suspicions of some.

Since the foundation of the Jesuit Order in 16th Century, yes. Compared with other orders, Jesuits have more men, more flexibility in the type of work undertaken, and a tradition of scholarship. However, note that Barnabites, Oratorians, and Augustinians all were involved in the Vatican Observatory in its early days.

Our findings are given in an annual report, in Italian, to the Holy See. The Pope directly supports the Vatican Observatory.

No, not formally. The watchdog for astronomers is the astronomical community itself, and so by being part of that community the Vatican Observatory astronomers join in that watchdog role. For example, we join in refereeing papers by other astronomers before they are published in the main journals, just as our papers are so refereed; and we write book reviews and critiques along with the rest.

Theories, such as the Big Bang, certainly have a powerful effect on our imagination. One must always be careful though when a theory fits too well into our imaginations or theologies: e.g., Pius XII in 1951 seemed to jump too readily on the Big Bang bandwagon because it implied a beginning of the universe and so fitted in rather well with the first chapter of Genesis (See Jósef Turek on Georges Lemaître and the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, Vatican Observatory Publications, Vol.2, No.13, p.167).

So, the Vatican Observatory is not the police force for astronomers, but we join in the self-policing that must happen in the sciences, for we are always in danger of jumping on bandwagons and of espousing later-proven false theories.

Not specifically; he has an interest more in the general field of science and theology, i.e., interdisciplinary studies. Pius XII could be described as an amateur astronomer, though.

[Corbally] Through an interest in science at my high school, though the actual observatory was in disrepair at that time. I became a Jesuit upon leaving school, and, with superiors' consent, gradually focussed on the possibility of astronomy and particularly the Vatican Observatory during the course of my further studies.

You will find its position in two statements, one dealing with the mountain ecology and the other with the American Indian Peoples issue.

You may also find helpful a comment by the editor of the Eastern Arizona Courier, Bret Bradigan.