Pope Francis

In this season of Science and Faith we look at how the successors of Peter, not only as rock of the Church but also as men and individuals, have engaged and dialogued with the fields of science and technology as part of their duty in the complex task of shepherding and illuminating human pursuits in the light of the Catholic Faith.   

Emeritus Professor John Sweeney joined us to talk about Pope Francis' background, his relationship with science, and the 'why' behind the choice of the name 'Francis' for his Pontificate. This was followed by a deep dive into the lead up to the promulgation of Laudato Si'; what motivated Pope Francis to write this encyclical and who were the people he consulted in preparing it. Then, he discussed the most significant ways Laudato Si’ integrates scientific evidence with Catholic social teaching, and where it goes beyond what scientists alone might say. Importantly, Professor Sweeney shared why it is appropriate for a pope to speak about science. Our conversation ended with integral ecology and the message of hope that Pope Francis, Laudato Si, and the Church have for the world today.

Guest Biography

Emeritus Professor John Sweeney has been a member of the Geography Department at Maynooth University since 1978. He received his B.Sc. from the University of Glasgow in 1974 and also his PhD in the Meteorology and Climatology of Air Pollution from there in 1980. Over the intervening years John has taught courses in climatology, biogeography, geomorphology and environmental resource management at Maynooth and a number of universities in North America and Africa. He has published over 100 scientific papers and authored/ edited/co-authored 4 texts on various aspects of climatology and climate change in Ireland. He has served as President of the Irish Meteorological Society, the Geographical Society of Ireland and An Taisce, the National Trust for Ireland. He has been Editor, Treasurer, Secretary of several national associations as well as being the Irish representative on a number of European academic bodies. He has been involved in a number of international research projects and has led a number of national funded research projects examining various aspects of climate change in Ireland. Professor Sweeney contributed to the reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007. He is also a regular contributor to print and broadcast media on matters related to climate change science and policy.

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