Vatican spokesman recalls man's first walk on Moon

(July 20, 2009) On the 40th anniversary of mankind's first walk on the Moon, the HolySee’s spokesman acknowledged the historic event's lesson about the value of human genius when it is aware of its limits. Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, director of the Vatican press office, stated this on the most recent episode of "Octava Dies," or “Eight Days”, the Vatican Television’s weekly program highlighting the activities of the Pope and the Vatican. Recalling the Apollo 11 mission, when Commander Neil Armstrong first set foot on the moon July 20, 1969, Fr. Lombardi recalled the importance Pope Paul VI gave the historic achievement. The astronauts had a special audience with the Pontiff on October 16, 1969, and they gave him a 48 pound moon rock as a gift, which is being kept today at the Vatican Observatory at Castel Gandolfo. Fr. Lombardi recalled that during the midday Angelus on July 20, 40 years ago, the Holy Father expressed his admiration for man's genius and courage, but at the same time also returned to the great unresolved problems of humanity, namely, hunger and war. 'Where is true humanity; where is brotherhood, peace?” Pope Paul VI asked and wished that progress, whose sublime victory mankind was celebrating, turn instead to the true temporal and moral good of humanity. The Pope who had just published the social encyclical, "Populorum Progressio," expressed hope that human intelligence and the prodigious capacity of science and technology would be placed at the service of the common good.