Bishop Robert Barron of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester in southern Minnesota asserts the perception that
Catholicism and science conflict is a significant reason many young people disassociate themselves from the
Catholic Church.
Today, topics including evolution, climate change, the COVID-19 vaccine, the production of contraceptive
pharmaceuticals, and stem cell research continue to strain the relationship between faith and science. As such,
Catholics face a difficult question: do issues of faith and science clash, or can they co-exist harmoniously?
To address this question, the Society of Catholic Scientists was founded in 2016 in response to the call of Pope
John Paul II for active scientists within the church to integrate science and religion in their intellectual and
spiritual lives. The SCS hosts various events, including an annual conference, aimed at fostering a community
where Catholic scientists, religious leaders, educators, and students can find spiritual camaraderie and
intellectual enrichment in an organization that operates in union with the church’s magisterium.
The seventh annual SCS conference convened June 7-9 in Mundelein, Ill., at the University of Saint Mary of
the Lake, a private seminary and school of theology in the Archdiocese of Chicago. This year’s conference
attracted more than 120 Catholic scientists from the U.S. and internationally who participated in keynote
sessions, engaged in discussions, and presented their own research, while sharing meals and attending daily
Mass together.
Unlike typical scientific conferences focused on specific disciplines, SCS meetings draw scientists from diverse
backgrounds across academia, government and the private sector, including several from other Christian
traditions interested in the science-faith dialogue. This year’s conference keynote topics ranged from
evolutionary biology and physics to artificial intelligence and its ethical implications in technology.
David Ramirez, a newly hired faculty member in the chemistry department at The Catholic University of
America in Washington attending his second SCS annual conference, said he was drawn to the SCS for its diverse scientific
perspectives and open-minded conversations. “Everyone approaches discussions with genuine curiosity,” he
remarked.
Maria Camarca, a parishioner of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Fredericksburg who graduated from
Marymount University in Arlington, is a current Caltech doctorate student specialising in planetary science. She
found her first SCS experience in 2018 invaluable. “I appreciate the community and fellowship these meetings
provide, connecting me with scientists who share my Catholic values,” said Camarca.
The SCS, which now boasts a membership of more than 2,100, operates mainly through local and some
international chapters. Membership fees and generous grants sustain the SCS, its national conference, and local
chapter events.
The Arlington diocese is home to the Washington, Maryland and Virginia chapter led by Christopher Raub, a
professor of biomedical engineering at Catholic U. Raub, an attendee at this year’s conference, highlighted the
chapter’s plans for a Gold Mass in November. Timed around the feast of St. Albert, patron saint of scientists,
Science and faith the Gold Mass aims to foster spiritual fellowship among science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) professionals and students in the area.
Chirico is a parishioner of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Vienna.
