Episode 6 – Awe and the Universe with Vatican Astronomer Br. Guy Consolmagno, SJ
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Today’s guest is Br. Guy Consolmagno, SJ—astronomer, Jesuit brother, and former Director of the Vatican Observatory. Br. Guy has spent his life studying meteorites, galaxies, and the deep structure of the cosmos, all while living a profoundly grounded Ignatian spirituality. His work invites us to see scientific curiosity not as a threat to faith, but as one of its most natural expressions.
In this conversation, we explore how wonder becomes a spiritual practice, how humility is woven into the fabric of the universe, and why the vastness of space can actually draw us closer to a God who delights in creation. Br. Guy shares stories from his decades of research, his unexpected path to the Jesuits, and the surprising ways science can deepen our prayer.
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In This Episode
• Why wonder is essential to both science and spiritual life
• How Ignatian spirituality shapes the way we explore the cosmos
• What meteorites teach us about time, humility, and God’s creativity
• Why the universe’s vastness doesn’t diminish us—it situates us
• How curiosity can become a form of prayer
• The role of joy, play, and delight in scientific discovery
• What it means to trust a God who is both intimate and unimaginably expansive
Trail Marker: The Spiritual Gift of Wonder
Midway through the episode, we pause to reflect on awe as a spiritual posture. Br. Guy describes awe and wonder not as a fleeting emotions but as a way of being awake to God’s presence in the world. Wonder slows us down, opens us up, and reminds us that we are creatures—finite but infinitely loved.
He reminds us that *the universe is not a problem to be solved, but a mystery to be entered.* That shift—from control to curiosity—changes how we pray, how we learn, and how we live.
Timecodes:
• 0:53–4:34 Brother Guy introduces walking prayer, embodiment, and finding God in physical creation
• 5:15–8:19 Pain, the ankle injury, and how suffering deepens gratitude and awareness
• 10:51–15:07 Awe, science, adventure, and why he joined the Jesuits
• 18:20–24:31 Finding God in all things, the vastness of the universe, and God’s attention
• 27:47–33:50 Beauty, acatamiento, awe vs. fear, and being overwhelmed in a good way
• 34:30–37:55 Justice, mercy, the poor, Sabbath, and why rest matters
• 41:08–44:07 The moon practice as a simple spiritual exercise
• 44:11–45:01 Closing reflections and final blessing
Resources Mentioned
• Jesuit Guide to the Stars (store.loyolapress.com/a-jesuits-guide-to-the-stars) (Loyola Press)
• Vatican Observatory (www.vaticanobservatory.org/)
• Specola Vaticana (www.vaticanobservatory.va/)
• Vatican Observatory Foundation (www.vaticanobservatory.org/support/foundation/)
• God’s Grandeur: (www.wordonfire.org/videos/classic-poetry/gods-grandeur-by-gerard-manley-hopkins-classic-poetry-with-jonathan-roumie-episode-one/) A poem by Gerard Manley Hopkins, SJ (Read by Jonathan Roumie)
• Connect with Deb: Flourish Spiritual Direction (www.flourishspiritualdirection.com) | Substack (spiritualwayfinder.substack.com/) | Facebook (www.facebook.com/spiritualwayfinding) | Instagram (instagram.com/spiritualwayfinding)
• Spiritual Wayfinding: 33 Walking Meditations for Navigating Life with Embodied Wisdom (d.docs.live.net/ec89b8653396165b/Betwixt/Final%20Episodes/3%20Courtney%20Ellis%20June%2016/Spiritual%20Wayfinding:%2033%20Walking%20Meditations%20for%20Navigating%20Life%20with%20Embodied%20Wisdom%20(Use%20code%20IVPOD25%20for%2025%25%20off))
Soundtrack Credits
Opening Music: “Palms Down” — Blue Dot Sessions
Closing Song: “Roots” — Ryvoli
