Next October in Madrid, the fourth edition of the congress of Spanish catholic scientists will take place. A growing phenomenon and an event packed with key topics.

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In Madrid, from October 2 to 4, 2025, the 4th edition of the Congress of the Sociedad de Científicos Católicos of Spain (SCCE) will be held.

The event will be hosted by the Universidad San Pablo CEU in Madrid, confirming the growing interest in the dialogue at the intersection of Catholic faith and scientific knowledge. Previous editions saw around 150 participants.

 

Catholic scientists in the US, Spain, and Poland

The expansion of the “Society of Catholic Scientists” is a source of pride for co-founder Stephen M. Barr, emeritus professor of Physics at the University of Delaware.

In the interview he granted us last June, Barr discussed with us the main themes addressed during the congress held in Washington.

Theologian Christopher T. Baglow informed us that new branches of the association of Catholic scientists are emerging not only in Spain, but also in Poland.

 

The congress of Catholic scientists in Spain

In Spain, the “científicos católicos” will gather in early October, and the event is open to anyone interested.

By visiting the official website, it is clear that the programme will cover a range of timely topics: artificial intelligence, bioethics, and near-death experiences (NDE).

Historical and theological issues will also be addressed, such as the Galileo affair, the relationship between human origins and original sin, neuroscience, the environmental crisis, and the role of the Catholic scientist in the professional world.

Of particular note is a session dedicated to replicas of the Shroud of Turin.

In addition to the liturgical celebration, the programme will include various activities, including an award ceremony for a competition open to students from Spanish schools and institutes.

 

Words from the president of Spanish Catholic scientists

The president of the Catholic scientists in Spain is Enrique Solano Márquez, a researcher at the Center for Astrobiology, affiliated with both the National Institute of Aerospace Technology and the Spanish National Research Council.

Speaking to UCCR, Prof. Solano stated that the event has “generated growing interest” in Spanish society, as demonstrated by the fact that 25% of confirmed participants are “not members of the association”.

Just in the past academic year, the scientist added, the “Sociedad de Científicos Católicos” held over 50 lectures in schools, institutions, parishes, and universities, with the aim of “bringing new generations closer to debate and reflection”.

The number of active members continues to grow: 84 registered in 2023, 126 in 2024, and 156 in 2025. For those who find these figures modest, it is worth noting that bearing witness to the harmony between scientific vocation and life of faith is, as Solano admits, “a complex task”.

Indeed, “there is a great deal of misinformation, and the public has internalised a series of clichés (‘the Church has always been against science’, ‘a scientist in the 21st century must be an atheist’, ‘the Big Bang is incompatible with Genesis’, ‘same goes for Adam and Eve and evolution’…), which have become deeply rooted in society, partly because there has never been a clear response from Catholic scientists.”

The Society of Catholic Scientists seeks to “reverse” this narrative and opens dialogue “with non-believing colleagues on fundamental questions that call for an integrated perspective, such as the origin of humanity and the universe, artificial intelligence, or bioethics.”

 

As was done for the US congress, UCCR will also follow the developments of the Spanish edition.