Priest, Balto. native honored by astonomical society
The American Astronomical Society this week honored Baltimore native George V. Coyne, the retired former director of the Vatican Observatory and a Jesuit priest, for his work in establishing a summer school for young astronomers and promoting discussions on faith and science, Catholic News Service reports.
Coyne, 76, received the George Van Biesbroeck Prize at the opening of the society’s 215th general meeting Monday in Washington. As The Catholic Review notes, Coyne graduated from Loyola High School in 1951 and was ordained at the now-defunct Woodstock College, then located in Howard County.
In presenting the honor, Catholic News Service reports society president John Huchra cited Father Coyne’s work with the Vatican Observatory Summer School, which brings 25 graduate students to the observatory’s headquarters in Castel Gandolfo, Italy, every two years for a month of intensive research.
“The prize means a lot to me personally,” Father Coyne told Catholic News Service. “It recognizes the Vatican Observatory as a research institute.”
Read the rest of the Catholic News Service story at catholicreview.org.
