50C PATRICK H. YANCEY 



These facts are accepted by all who have investigated the 

 matter, but there is no agreement as to the explanation of the 

 phenomenon. The reason assigned by Lehman and Witty, that 

 the " tenets of (the Catholic) Church are not consonant with 

 scientific endeavor," is patently false. There is nothing in the 

 teaching of the Catholic Church which prohibits or discourages 

 its members from engaging in the pursuit of science. Indeed, 

 the popes, especially in recent times, have encouraged Catholics 

 by word and example to devote themselves to scientific work. 

 While the primary purpose of the Church is to lead men to 

 salvation, it has always been a patron of the arts and sciences. 

 Historians are agreed that were it not for the Catholic Church 

 civilization might well have been destroyed during the bar- 

 barian invasions of Europe. 



While divinely founded for a spiritual purpose, the Church 

 is composed of men, and she might well paraphrase Terence to 

 point a paradox: " Divina sum: humani nihil a me alienum 

 puto" Following the example of her Divine Founder, she 

 makes use of natural as well as supernatural means in achieving 

 her ends. Nothing is more " consonant " with the primary 

 purpose of the Church than to encourage the discovery of truth 

 in the natural realm. As St. Paul wrote the Romans (1:20) 

 " The invisible things of Him from the creation of the world 

 are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made." 

 The Church from the very beginning, therefore, not only de- 

 manded learning of the clergy but also promoted it among the 

 laity, first in the schools that developed around the cathedrals, 

 and then in the universities which are her pride and glory. 



The popes, in particular, have been outstanding patrons of 

 science. This is shown by the numerous scientific works which 

 they have promoted, and by the founding of the famous Acca- 

 demia dei Lincei under papal patronage. One of the oldest 

 science academies in the world, it is now succeeded by the 

 Pontifical Academy of Science, whose membership includes 

 the world's outstanding scientists, regardless of their religious 

 beliefs. 



It should be abundantly clear that there is nothing in the 



