Fwd: Pope announces priests to become taxonomists

[Doug Yanega]

This one is an eye-opener. Is there hope for us yet?

>Date: Tue, 1 Apr 2003 09:32:04 -0800
>To: dyanega at pop.ucr.edu
>Subject: Fwd: Pope announces priests to become taxonomists
>
>>----------
>>From Rueters:
>>
>>April 1, 2003
>>
>>      In a stunning announcement, Pope John Paul today proclaimed
>>that he intends to make taxonomy, the science of naming and
>>classifying organisms, one of the Church's highest priorities, and
>>called upon his priests to turn to the practice of taxonomy as "a
>>way of realizing their Divine calling." Citing the Book of Genesis,
>>the pontiff explained that the first and only task that God gave
>>Adam to perform was the naming of all the earth's creatures, and
>>further noted that he has been advised that "most scientists
>>believe that less than 10 percent of the world's species have
>>actually been given names as of today." The Pope went on to suggest
>>that the scientists will never complete this "Divine mission", and
>>that only if the Church turns its vast resources and manpower to
>>this problem "can God's first directive to mankind ever be
>>realized." He asked that his priests make it a goal of their lives
>>to undertake the naming of as many new species as possible, and to
>>coordinate their efforts "by forming a Commission whose aim is to
>>identify gaps in present classification, and delegate
>>responsibility for filling those gaps." The Pope further invoked
>>the names of St. Francis of Assisi and the monk Gregor Mendel as
>>examples of holy men who felt an affinity for God's handiwork as
>>expressed in the natural world, referring to the practice of naming
>>creatures as "the world's oldest profession," a remark which his
>>advisers later apologized for as an unintended phrasing based upon
>>their translation from Polish to English.
>>----------
--

Doug Yanega        Dept. of Entomology         Entomology Research Museum
Univ. of California - Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521
phone: (909) 787-4315 (standard disclaimer: opinions are mine, not UCR's)
   "There are some enterprises in which a careful disorderliness
         is the true method" - Herman Melville, Moby Dick, Chap. 82