Pope Francis is reportedly preparing a major
world statement about extraterrestrial life and its
theological implications. Rosana Ubanell from
Voxxi News today reported that due to advances
in scientific detection methods for the discovery
of extraterrestrial life, Pope Francis wants to be
ready with a statement about “First Contact”.
Ubanell reports that details have yet to be
officially announced but that the Vatican’s
interest in extraterrestrial life is well documented
through recent astrobiology conferences the
Vatican Observatory has sponsored or
participated in. Father Guy Consolmagno, a Jesuit
astronomer and one of the leading Catholic
proponents for preparing for the scientific
discovery of extraterrestrial life, on July 18, won
the Carl Sagan science medal from the American
Astronomical Society. Pope Francis, a fellow
Jesuit, regularly consults with Consolmagno and
other leading Vatican astronomers about scientific
issues. It is likely that Pope Francis is preparing
an “Urbi et Orbi” speech – Latin for “to the city
[of Rome] and the world” – about First Contact
with extraterrestrial life.
The Vatican’s scientific interest in extraterrestrial
life was publicly revealed for the first time in May
2008 when the head of the Vatican Observatory,
Fr Gabriel Funes, also a Jesuit, gave an interview
to the Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano.
Funes made a series of startling statements
about how extraterrestrial life is likely to be more
ethically evolved than humans, and can be
welcomed as brothers. In his interview, which
was titled "The extraterrestrial is my brother,"
Funes said that intelligent extraterrestrial life may
not have experienced a ‘fall’, and may be “free
from Original Sin … [remaining] in full friendship
with their creator.” This makes it possible to
regard them as ‘our brothers’ as Funes
explained:
”Just as there is a multiplicity of creatures
on earth, there can be other beings, even
intelligent, created by God. This is not in
contrast with our faith because we can't put
limits on God's creative freedom… "Why
can't we speak of a 'brother extraterrestrial'?
It would still be part of creation…
Most importantly, Funes’ statement makes
possible the idea that Christianity can be
exported to extraterrestrial worlds that have not
experienced a ‘fall’ and are free from original sin.
Just over a year after his interview, Funes was
the organizer of the first ever Astrobiology
Symposium held by Pontifical Academy of
Sciences in November 2009. Consolmagno and
Funes have ever since played leading roles for the
Vatican Observatory in presenting a theological
perspective on the discovery of extraterrestrial
life. Most importantly, both have been leading
advisors to Pope Francis about scientific issues
concerning the discovery of extraterrestrial life.
What is likely to be the content of Pope Francis'
upcoming statement or possible “Urbi et Orbi”
speech about alien life? An important clue is a
forthcoming presentation by Fr. Consolmagno at
a September 18-19, 2014, astrobiology
symposium organized by NASA and the Library
of Congress
that is titled: “Preparing for Discovery: A Rational
Approach to the Implications of Finding Microbial,
Complex or Intelligent Life Beyond Earth.”
Consolmagno is a featured presenter and will
discuss the theological implications of discovering
alien life. His topic , “Would You Baptize an
Extraterrestrial?” suggests that Pope Francis
agrees that extraterrestrials are capable of the
higher ethics involved in understanding the
Christian message and becoming Christians.
If Pope Francis is indeed preparing a statement
about extraterrestrial life, it is likely to emphasize
that there is no incompatibility in Christian
teachings with a belief in extraterrestrial life as
Fr. Funes proposed in May 2008. More
importantly, Pope Francis is likely to emphasize
themes of extraterrestrials: not sharing in original
sin; being more ethically evolved; and being
capable of sharing the Christian message, and
being our brothers.
Not all will welcome a statement from Pope
Francis advocating extraterrestrials as brothers
and worthy of being baptized into the Christian
faith. According to Chris Putnam and Tom Horn,
authors of Exovaticana , Pope Francis I is
preparing to lead the Catholic Church to embrace
aliens as “brothers in Christ” – reflective of the
1950s and 1960s contactee reports of benevolent
“space brothers.” Putnam’s and Horn’s
Exovaticana portends a future religious war
between those accepting extraterrestrials as
“brothers in Christ” and those believing them to
be returning demons about to enslave us. Despite
the extensive scholarship found in Exovaticana, it
unfortunately skews data towards an overly
negative assessment of the motivations of
extraterrestrial visitors. Thankfully, the Vatican’s
evolving public position, as reflected by
statements from its leading astronomers, shows a
far more enlightened stance on how to consider
the discovery of alien life from a theological
perspective. A statement or “Urbi et Orbi” speech
from Pope Francis expounding on various themes
associated with the view that extraterrestrials are
potential “brothers in Christ’ is a welcome
position to take on a controversial issue with
major world significance.
http://www.examiner.com/article/vatican-preparing-statement-on-extraterrestrial-life?CID=PROD-topic-email-articles

Well, I knew the time will soon come. Hmmmnnn, soon Aliens will visit us openly this is their introduction to the world. No more sneaking in and out.

Most importantly, Funes’ statement makes
possible the idea that Christianity can be
exported to extraterrestrial worlds that have not
experienced a ‘fall’ and are free from original sin.

If they are free from original sin, why do they need Christianity? They shouldnt start an unecessary crusade oh. Anyway the species that did not experience the fall will likely be more intelligent than us and even more closer to God. Let's hope we make contact with a peaceful species first.