Vatican City (Wednesday, 10/29/2014, Gaudium Press) The Pontifical Academy of Sciences met with Pope Francis in a plenary assembly at the Vatican, October 24-28.

On the same occasion the Pope unveiled a bust in honour of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI.

Pope Francis spoke to the theme of their gathering, noting that the Catholic intellectual tradition has always affirmed the fundamental compatibility of a natural order that unfolds and develops, with the idea that the universe has been made, and does not merely happen.

“Evolution in nature is not inconsistent with the notion of creation,” he said. “The scientist,” he continued, “must nevertheless be moved by a trust in the idea that nature hides, within her evolutionary mechanisms, potentialities that it is the task of intellect and freedom to discover and actuate, in order to achieve the kind of development that is in the design of the Creator.”
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Pope Francis encouraged the Academicians to carry forward their efforts for scientific progress. (JSG)

With information from the Vatican Radio