Pope praises Templeton winner for work linking religion, science

Published: 2008-05-07

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Praising Msgr. Michal Heller, the Polish cosmologist and philosopher who won the 2008 Templeton Prize, Pope Benedict XVI said he hoped the priest's work would help more people recognize that "the heavens proclaim the glory of God." In a message to Msgr. Heller, dated April 30 and released May 7 at the Vatican, Archbishop Fernando Filoni, a top official in the Vatican Secretariat of State, said the pope was pleased the monsignor was being honored for his contributions to the dialogue between religion and science. "He wishes to encourage all those who devote their lives to exploring the profound insights to be gained from scientific research in the context of religious belief," the archbishop said, and he asks God to bless "all those whose work serves to promote a deeper understanding of the relationship between religion and science." Announced in March, the prize was officially awarded to Heller by Britain's Prince Philip during a private ceremony in London's Buckingham Palace May 7.

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