New Scientist reports on the Vatican’s public acceptance of extraterrestrial life:
In the interview, headlined “The extraterrestrial is my brother,” [Reverend Jose Gabriel Funes, head of the Vatican Observatory and scientific adviser to Pope Benedict] said he saw no conflict between belief in such beings and faith in God.
“Just as there is a multiplicity of creatures on Earth, there can be other beings, even intelligent, created by God. This is not in contrast with our faith because we can’t put limits on God’s creative freedom,” he said. “Why can’t we speak of a ‘brother extraterrestrial’? It would still be part of creation,” he said.