Pope Francis Will Baptize Aliens When They Land

One of the age old questions of yore has finally found an answer after a new book revealed that the Pope would baptize aliens if they ever landed on earth.

The handy book helps cover any issues that people have with the subject, and it’s entitled Would You Baptize an Extraterrestrial?:… and Other Questions from the Astronomers’ In-box at the Vatican Observatory.

However, rather than being taken seriously, the chapter on religion and extra-terrestrial life comes from discussions between Rome-based, American-trained Jesuit brother Guy Consolmango, who is the head of the Vatican Observatory Foundation, and philosopher of science, Paul Mueller, a superior in the Jesuit community who occupies the papal villa at Castel Gandolfo.

Earlier this year the Pope first raised the topic of Martians joining the church, when he declared that if they did make their way to earth he would welcome them into the Church with open arms.

“If, for example, tomorrow an expedition of Martians came, and some of them came to us: green, with that long nose and big ears, just like children paint them…and one says, ‘But I want want to be baptised!’ What would happen…who are we to close the doors to the Holy Spirit?”

According to the International Business Times, within the book Consolmagno adds, “any entity — no matter how many tentacles it has — has a soul.” Consolmagno doesn’t go as far as to say that they would actively pursue aliens’ involvement in the church though and he teases that they would only be baptised “if they asked.” He also goes on to state that rather than proving that God’s presence in the universe doesn’t exist, the discovery of aliens should make human-beings ask themselves what it means to be human.

Despite the book’s tone, both Cosolmango and Mueller are huge advocates of the integration of science and faith, and they have admitted that the book was written for people who are interested in science but don’t have faith in their lives. Muller even admitted during an interview with Jesuit magazine, America, “We’re not trying to convert the unbeliever. We’re trying to help the intelligent, well-read Catholics to enjoy their faith in a deeper and more integral way, and to see the truths they already hold in many different new lights.”

How would you react if the Pope baptized an alien?

[Image via The Wire]