VATICAN CITY - Believing that the universe may contain alien life does not contradict a faith in God, the Vatican's chief astronomer said in an interview published Tuesday.

The Rev. Jose Gabriel Funes, the Jesuit director of the Vatican Observatory, was quoted as saying the vastness of the universe means it is possible there could be other forms of life outside Earth, even intelligent ones.

why should we not talk about an 'extraterrestrial brother'? It would still be part of creation.

such a notion "doesn't contradict our faith" because aliens would still be God's creatures. Ruling out the existence of aliens would be like "putting limits" on God's creative freedom

The Bible "is not a science book,"

he believes the Big Bang theory

Galileo's persecution 400 years ago

1633 the astronomer was tried as a heretic and forced to recant his theory that the Earth revolved around the sun

The Vatican Observatory has been at the forefront of efforts to bridge the gap between religion and science