John Morales chats with the brilliant Theresa Civantos Barber (Assistant Editor at Aleteia) about something we never thought we’d say: the Pope is a math whiz! 🧮
📐 From Chalkboards to the Chair of Peter
Yep, it’s official: For the first time in 2,000 years of Church history, the Holy Father knows his cosines from his catechism.
🗣️ “He’s the only cardinal in the conclave with a math degree!” Theresa exclaimed… and that’s a big deal. It’s not just a fun fact for your next Catholic trivia night. It points to something much deeper and meaningful: a vibrant harmony between faith and reason.
🧬 The Church Has Always Loved Science (Despite the Memes)
While Christianity often gets a bad rap as being “anti-science,” Theresa reminded us that this isn’t the Catholic way.
Faith + Reason = 🔥: St. John Paul II famously said they’re “like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth.”
The Catechism backs it up, too: There can never be a real discrepancy between faith and reason.
And history proves it:
Gregor Mendel, the father of genetics and a Catholic monk
Fr. Georges Lemaître, who came up with the Big Bang Theory
🧠 Why This Pope’s Brain Might Be the Blessing We Need
Pope Leo’s love for logic and order is a huge gift for the Church.
Theresa shared a sweet anecdote: her middle school teacher taught both math and theology because “they’re both about discovering the order in the universe.” That’s totally Catholic. We believe God made a world where everything fits together, like a really intense jigsaw puzzle with eternal consequences.
And let’s be real: having a Pope who thinks like a mathematician means:
-Precise teaching 📝
-Logical approaches to complex topics 🧩
-A calm, rational voice in chaotic cultural times
A Message to the World: Come Home, Thinkers!
Theresa thinks Pope Leo is a living sign that Catholics don’t need to choose between brains and belief. He’s the Pope for:
-Scientists
-Engineers
-Students who love equations and the Eucharist
-People on Instagram who are “Catholic-curious”
💬 “May his papacy inspire a new generation of faithful who are unafraid to seek God through both the soul and the mind.” 💬
(A quote from one of the mathematicians Theresa interviewed that basically sums it all up)
So, What’s Next?
Theresa hopes Pope Leo’s papacy inspires:
-A new reverence for both theology and science in Catholic education
-Curiosity about creation
-Most importantly, a return to wonder in a world that’s gotten a little too jaded and materialistic
Let’s not forget: ✝️ We walk by faith, not by sight… but that doesn’t mean we walk blindly. Our faith is reasoned. Pope Leo’s brainy background might just help the whole world see that more clearly.
Check out Theresa’s full article 👉First Math Pope Reveals Unity of Faith and Reason.
🙏 And don’t forget to pray for our new Pope. (And maybe brush up on your algebra while you’re at it.)
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