Skip to content
Vatican Observatory
  • About
    • Overview
    • Team
    • FAQ
  • Telescopes
    • Overview
    • Telescope Images
  • Latest
    • Overview
    • Resources
    • Press
    • Audio
    • Video
    • Research
    • Authors
      • FAQs
    • Newsletter
    • Tucson Meteor Cameras
  • Podcast
  • Education
    • Overview
    • Resource Center
    • Image Gallery
    • Summer School
    • Books
    • Software
    • Additional Resources
    • ACME
    • Ambassadors
  • Shop
  • Calendar
  • Support
    • VATT 30th Anniversary
    • Overview
    • Donate Now
    • Smart Ways to Give
    • Sacred Space Astronomy
      • View Content
    • Fr. Coyne Fundraiser
    • Bequests / Trusts
    • The Foundation
      • Newsletters
      • Annual Reports
  • Press
  • Specola Vaticana
  • Contact
    • Contact
  • About
    • Overview
    • Team
    • FAQ
  • Telescopes
    • Overview
    • Telescope Images
  • Latest
    • Overview
    • Resources
    • Press
    • Audio
    • Video
    • Research
    • Authors
      • FAQs
    • Newsletter
    • Tucson Meteor Cameras
  • Podcast
  • Education
    • Overview
    • Resource Center
    • Image Gallery
    • Summer School
    • Books
    • Software
    • Additional Resources
    • ACME
    • Ambassadors
  • Shop
  • Calendar
  • Support
    • VATT 30th Anniversary
    • Overview
    • Donate Now
    • Smart Ways to Give
    • Sacred Space Astronomy
      • View Content
    • Fr. Coyne Fundraiser
    • Bequests / Trusts
    • The Foundation
      • Newsletters
      • Annual Reports
  • Press
  • Specola Vaticana
  • Contact
    • Contact

From the Backyard: Remembering Wonder – Word on Fire’s Wonder Conference In Retrospect

By Fr. James Kurzynski  |  7 Aug 2023  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

Share:
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share via Email

As you may remember, I attended Word of Fire’s Wonder Conference last January. It was a wonderful experience (pun intended) exploring various topics of faith and science. I also enjoyed being a “fly on the wall” to compare this conference with ACME (Astronomy for Catholics in Ministry and Education).

Now, I must offer a disclaimer. I was one of Bishop Barron’s students when he was Father Barron. He was one of the best teachers at Mundelein Seminary and we had a nice conversation at the Wonder Conference. Still, I did cringe when the Bishop proclaimed, “This is the first time a conference like this has ever been done!” My admiration for Bishop Barron and the thunderous applause the crowd gave to the statement made me hesitate to approach the microphone and sheepishly state, “Well… This actually might be the second…”

However, as time has passed, Bishop Barron was right. ACME provides a practical approach immersing a small group of people in the world of professional astronomy. Participants are invited to engaged that science and bring their faith to the experience. Wonder was a conference of well over one thousand people that provided topics ranging from faith and astronomy, ecology, apologetics, artificial intelligence, biology, and historical reflections on the industrial revolution as it pertains to technology. So, both Wonder and ACME are first of their kind!

Time does change how people perceive things, which is why I’m glad it’s been about six months between the conference and the posting of the presentations. Has my opinion of Wonder changed with the passing of time? Welcome to the theme of my next few posts!

My approach to this post and my next will be to share what I considered to be the most memorable presentations. I would ask you to take some time to watch the presentations, write down what sticks out to you, and, in my next post, I will share with you both what stuck out to me back in January and then see if those takeaways still resonate today.

For today, I offer you two presentations: One on Artificial Intelligence and another on the environment. The reason I share these presentations together is that they are very different topics, but the methodology was similar in approach. Enjoy these presentations! Next post, let’s chat about what was memorable to you. And I’ll share what was memorable to me.

Artificial Intelligence and the Role of Technology in Our Relationship with God – Fr. Anselm Ramelow

The Franciscan View of Nature and Natural Being – Fr. Joachim Ostermann

Share:
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share via Email

Sacred Space Astronomy

The Vatican Observatory’s official digital community and online magazine.

Become a Member

Recent Posts

Studying the holes in an asteroid | Quirks and Quarks with Bob McDonald | Live Radio | CBC Listen

CBC Listen  |  27 Sep 2023  |  Press

Vatican astronomer helps NASA in historic mission to study asteroid

USCCB  |  26 Sep 2023  |  Press

Phillis Wheatley: Faith & Science

By Mr. Christopher Graney  |  23 Sep 2023  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

ⓜ Full Moon-th Meetup: 29 September, 2023

By Robert Trembley  |  22 Sep 2023  |  Sacred Space Astronomy

Archives

      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • October
      • September
      • August
      • July
      • June
      • May
      • April
      • March
      • February
      • January
      • December
      • November
      • August
      • June
      • March
      • January
      • November
      • October
      • December
      • November
      • April
      • May
      • January
      • December
      • September
      • May
      • March
      • December
      • November
      • February

More Posts by
Fr. James Kurzynski

From the Backyard: Andromeda and A Reflection on Time.

By Fr. James Kurzynski  |  18 Sep 2023

From The Backyard: Looking for Eagles (and Cormorants) in the Clouds… Of Interstellar Dust.

By Fr. James Kurzynski  |  11 Sep 2023

From The Backyard: When Astrophotography Becomes Ministry

By Fr. James Kurzynski  |  4 Sep 2023

From The Backyard: Finally! A Night to Image the North American Nebula

By Fr. James Kurzynski  |  28 Aug 2023

From the Backyard: Finding God In The Ordinary

By Fr. James Kurzynski  |  31 Jul 2023

Frustration: What Wildfires Have Taught Me About Wonder, Awe, and Care for Creation

By Fr. James Kurzynski  |  24 Jul 2023

View More

Newsletter

Upcoming astronomical events, scientific breakthroughs, philosophical reflections… just a few reasons to subscribe to our newsletter!

Vatican Observatory
  • About
  • Telescopes
  • Latest
  • Podcast
  • Education
  • Shop
  • Calendar
  • Support
  • Press
  • Specola Vaticana
  • Contact
Privacy Policy  |   Cookie Policy  |   Disclosure Statement

Podcast:

  • Apple Podcasts Listen onApple Podcasts
  • Spotify Listen onSpotify
  • Google Podcasts Listen onGoogle Podcasts
  • Stitcher Listen onStitcher
  • Amazon Alexa Listen onAmazon Alexa
  • TuneIn Listen onTuneIn
Made by Longbeard