Indian Jesuit astronomer named head of Vatican Observatory

Founded by Leo XIII in 1891 — but with origins dating back to the 16th century — the Vatican Observatory is an institution traditionally entrusted by the pope to the Jesuits, which promotes research in the field of astronomy.

The Observatory is in Castel Gandolfo. Since 1935, the popes' summer residence in Castel Gandolfo near Rome has had its own telescopes. Due to light pollution, scientists at the Vatican Observatory have been working since 1981 in a second observation center located in the United States, near Tucson, Arizona.

The 15 Jesuit astronomers working in these two centers will now have a new director with a solid career in astronomy. Born in India in 1978, Richard D'Souza spent his first years of school in Kuwait. After returning to India, he joined the Society of Jesus in 1996 and was ordained a priest in 2011.

During his ministry, he founded an organization to help young people who had dropped out of school find employment, and led a popular theology program called “Deepen Your Faith” for lay people.

According to his biography published by the Vatican, he then studied physics in Mumbai and Germany at the University of Heidelberg, before completing a PhD in astronomy at the Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich, with research at the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics in Garching. He also studied at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, USA.

Specializing in the formation and evolution of galaxies, particularly their merger, Father D'Souza has been a member of the Vatican Observatory team since 2016. Since 2022, he has been superior of the community of Jesuit scientists. He is a member of the International Astronomical Union, and an asteroid has recently been named in his honor, according to the note.

His predecessor, Brother Guy Consolmagno, will conclude his term on September 19 — his 73rd birthday. He has published various works on popular science and reflections on the relationship between faith and science. Consolmagno will continue his research as a Vatican astronomer and retain his role as president of the Vatican Observatory Foundation.