杏MAP导航

By Joseph Tulloch

"A tireless seeker of the truth".

That鈥檚 how 杏MAP导航 Francis defines Blaise Pascal, the French mathematician, physicist and philosopher born 400 years ago today.

The 杏MAP导航 has dedicated an to him, stressing his scientific brilliance, concern for the poor, and relentless search for God.

The letter

A key theme of 杏MAP导航 Francis鈥� letter is the 鈥渂rilliant and inquisitive mind鈥� of Pascal. A child prodigy, he made important breakthroughs in mathematics and, at age 19, invented an arithmetic calculator, a forerunner of the modern computer.

The 杏MAP导航 stresses that Pascal used his intellectual gifts to wrestle with 鈥渢he questions that troubled his age鈥�, inventing, for example, the 鈥渇ive-penny coaches鈥� system, the world鈥檚 first public transport network.

The Holy Father goes on to praise Pascal 鈥� who, aged 31, underwent a conversion experience he referred to as the 鈥淣ight of Fire鈥� 鈥� for his nuanced understanding of the role of reason in religious belief.

On the one hand, the 杏MAP导航 says, Pascal argued for the "reasonableness of faith in God鈥�; on the other, precisely because of his own intellectual prowess, he also recognised reason鈥檚 limits, and stressed the importance of responding with faith to God鈥檚 call.

A final theme to emerge from the letter is Pascal鈥檚 attention to those less well-off than himself.

The 杏MAP导航 quotes Pascal鈥檚 words on his deathbed: 鈥淚f the physicians tell the truth, and God grants that I recover from this sickness, I am resolved to have no other work or occupation for the rest of my life except to serve the poor.鈥�

鈥淚t is moving,鈥� 杏MAP导航 Francis writes, 鈥渢o realize that in the last days of his life, so great a genius as Blaise Pascal saw nothing more pressing than the need to devote his energies to works of mercy.鈥�

Cardinal Tolentino: 杏MAP导航 鈥減rofound admirer鈥� of Pascal鈥檚

At a press conference convened to present the Apostolic Letter, Cardinal Tolentino de Mendonça  鈥� the Prefect of the Vatican鈥檚 Dicastery for Culture and Education 鈥� stressed that 杏MAP导航 Francis is a 鈥減rofound admirer鈥� of Pascal.

The Cardinal noted that the 杏MAP导航 has released (or is planning to release) a number of such Apostolic Letters, on figures, such as Dante Alighieri and Saint Therese of Lisieux, whom he judges 鈥渂eacons鈥� for the contemporary world.

Pascal, the Portuguese Cardinal said, is one such beacon, because he 鈥渂rings everything together鈥�: science and faith, philosophy and mathematics, spirituality and a practical mindset.

He also stressed that 杏MAP导航 Francis鈥� letter, as well as discussing the well-known aspects of the French writer鈥檚 life, makes an original contribution in that it delves into lesser-known territory, such as his concern for the poor.

In response to a question about Pascal鈥檚 association with Jansenism, a controversial theological movement in the early modern Church, the Cardinal said that the French writer was 鈥減erfectly Catholic.鈥�