By LUCY FREY
President
NM Chapter Society of Catholic Scientists
The New Mexico Chapter of the Society of Catholic Scientists invites Catholic scientists and all those interested in the relation between science and the Catholic Faith to a Gold Mass, public talk, and conference this weekend.
Friday, Sept. 26
Gold Mass, dinner, and public talk
5:30 p.m. Mass, celebrant Fr. John Daniel, pastor, homilist Deacon Jim O’Hara.
The Mass will be offered for the repose of the soul of Deacon Ray Alcouffe, who was one of the first members of our NM SCS Chapter.
Dinner and public talk immediately following in the Parish Hall.
Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, 3700 Canyon Road in Los Alamos
RSVPs to scs.nmchapter@gmail.com are appreciated but not required.
A Gold Mass is celebrated for scientists and rooted in the long tradition of special Masses for members of particular professions, including health care professionals and law enforcement.
Our Mass will be followed by a public talk by: Dr. Suzanne Bohlson, Professor of Teaching, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry at UC Irvine and board member for the Southern California
Chapter of the Society of Catholic Scientists. She will speak on “Faith and Reason in the Laboratory: A Scientist’s Journey from Secular Academia to Catholic Faith.”
Saturday, September 27
Society of Catholic Scientists New Mexico Regional Conference
8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
SALA Event Center, 2551 Central Ave, Los Alamos
Registration is required, please see the form on our website:
https://sites.google.com/view/scsnm/events/fall-2025-regional-conference
Our regional conference will feature invited and contributed talks on a wide range of topics related to science and faith, along with opportunities for discussion and fellowship. Our invited speakers:
- Dr Suzanne Bohlson (in person), Professor of Teaching, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry at UC Irvine, “The Body Knows: Lessons from Immunology for the Journey of Faith”
- Dr Martin Nowak (via zoom), Professor of Mathematics and of Biology at Harvard University, “Does Mathematics lead us to God?”
- Dr Stephen Barr (via zoom), founder and President of the Society of Catholic Scientists, “God and Extraterrestrials”
Questions? Contact us: scs.nmchapter@gmail.com
About the Society of Catholic Scientists:
https://catholicscientists.org/about/
The Society of Catholic Scientists was founded in 2016, and has since grown to more than 2,500 members in 65 countries. The New Mexico Chapter was founded in 2019 as the first regional chapter.
Its mission:
- Intellectual and spiritual fellowship among Catholic Scientists
- Public witness to the harmony of science and the Catholic faith
- A forum for discussion of science/faith questions
- An educational resource for pastors, lay people, educators, journalists, and the public.
The Society also provides opportunities for Catholic undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers in the natural sciences to get to know and interact with more senior colleagues. In this way the Society hopes to provide role models and mentors for young Catholics who are on the way to possible careers in science.
The Society is open to scientists who are practicing Catholics, but does not presume to represent or speak for all Catholic scientists. It does not take positions on scientific questions controverted among the relevant scientific experts. Nor does it engage in political advocacy or issue statements on public policy issues.
The Society adheres to the faith of the Catholic Church and will always operate with due regard to her Magisterium.