The newly appointed director of the Vatican Observatory, has called on Catholics to pay close attention to three evolving scientific fields: AI, climate change, and advancements in protein structure prediction
Newsroom (05/08/2025 Gaudium Press )Father Richard D’Souza, SJ, the newly appointed director of the Vatican Observatory, has called on Catholics to pay close attention to three rapidly evolving scientific fields: artificial intelligence (AI), climate change, and advancements in protein structure prediction. In an exclusive interview with Indian Catholic Matters, the 47-year-old Jesuit priest from Goa, India, outlined his vision for fostering dialogue between faith and science, a mission central to the Observatory’s work since its founding in 1891 by Pope Leo XIII.
Appointed by Pope Leo XIV on July 31, Fr. D’Souza succeeds Jesuit Brother Guy Consolmagno, who concludes his decade-long tenure on September 19. Speaking to UCA News on August 4, D’Souza emphasized the Observatory’s role as a global leader in astronomical research and its commitment to promoting harmony between scientific inquiry and Catholic teaching. “We stand on the shoulders of giants,” he said, pledging to uphold the institution’s legacy of independence and collaboration with observatories worldwide.
AI: A New Frontier for Faith and Ethics
Fr. D’Souza highlighted AI as a critical area for the Church’s engagement, noting its transformative impact across industries. With 78% of global companies now integrating AI and platforms like ChatGPT reaching 100 million users in just two months, the technology’s influence is undeniable. D’Souza’s remarks align with speculation that Pope Leo XIV, who chose his name in homage to Pope Leo XIII’s socially engaged papacy, may address AI in a future encyclical. In a statement two days after his election, the Holy Father referenced Leo XIII’s Rerum Novarum, which tackled the social challenges of the first Industrial Revolution, drawing parallels to today’s AI-driven technological shifts. “The Church offers her social teaching in response to another industrial revolution and developments in artificial intelligence that pose new challenges for human dignity, justice, and labor,” Pope Leo said.
Protein Structure Breakthroughs
Advancements in AI-driven protein structure prediction, particularly through tools like AlphaFold, were another focus of D’Souza’s remarks. In 2023, AlphaFold mapped the 3D structures of over 200 million proteins, a milestone that has accelerated drug discovery and advanced research into rare diseases caused by protein misfolding. “This innovation is solving one of biology’s toughest problems,” D’Souza noted, pointing to its potential for designing targeted molecules and engineering proteins for synthetic biology and vaccine development.
Climate Change: A Moral Imperative
Climate change, described by Pope Francis in his 2015 encyclical Laudato Si’ as “one of the principal challenges facing humanity,” remains a pressing concern. Fr. D’Souza cited 2024 as the warmest year on record, with global temperatures 1.52°C above the 1850–1900 baseline, and 2025 projected to rank among the hottest. Rising sea levels, increasing at 4.6 mm per year, threaten nearly one billion people in low-lying areas. D’Souza underscored the Church’s call to action, noting the Observatory’s research contributions, including Jesuit Father Bayu Risanto’s work on weather pattern prediction and its climate impacts.
A Legacy of Science and Faith
A member of the International Astronomical Union, Fr. D’Souza has published extensively on galaxy merging, using data from the James Webb Space Telescope. In June 2025, an asteroid discovered by the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope was named in his honor, recognizing his contributions to the field. He also highlighted ongoing Observatory projects, such as Jesuit Brother Bob Macke’s analysis of asteroid samples from a recent NASA mission.
Founded to demonstrate the compatibility of science and religion, the Vatican Observatory remains a beacon of dialogue. Jesuit Father Anthony da Silva, former director of the Xavier Centre of Historical Research in Goa, told UCA News, “The Church’s stance of collaboration with the scientific world holds signs of hope for faith-seekers and skeptical scientists alike.”
A Proud Moment for Goa
Fr. D’Souza’s appointment has sparked pride in his home state of Goa. His mother, Mary D’Souza, called it “God’s blessing,” while Catholic leaders, including Congress Party’s Elvis Gomes and Bharatiya Janata Party legislator Delilah Lobo, hailed it as a moment of honor for Goans and the global Jesuit community.
As Fr. D’Souza steps into his role, his leadership signals a continued commitment to bridging faith and science, urging Catholics to engage thoughtfully with the ethical and societal implications of AI, climate change, and biological innovation.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from OSV and UCAN News
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