Cardinal Bernardin Visits Lab
(Left to right) Father Jim Roache, Administrative Assistant to Cardinal Benardin, Father Tim Toohig, Cardinal Joseph Benardin, Bob Bauer, DOE Area Manager, and Leon Lederman
On Wednesday, April 20, Cardinal Joseph Bernardin of Chicago visited the Laboratory at the invitation of Director Leon Lederman. Cardinal Bernardin is the chairman of the committee of American bishops preparing a pastoral letter on the morality of nuclear armament and warfare. In draft form the letter has attracted wide attention in government, as well as religious, circles.
In an informal talk to the Fermilab staff after touring the Laboratory, Cardinal Bernardin spoke about the need that religion has of science to develop an informed faith and that science has of faith as a context for science. He cited the current discussions on nuclear armaments as an example. The bishops rely heavily on scientific advisers in formulating their pastoral letter, while in their experience most scientists have welcomed the moral dimension that the bishops bring to the discussion.