India, Oct. 21 -- In August, Pope Leo XIV appointed Goa-born Jesuit priest Fr Richard D'Souza to head the Vatican Observatory, one of the world's oldest astronomical observatories with a storied history making him one of the few from outside of Europe and North America to hold a leading position within the church. HT spoke at length with Fr Richard via an email interview about his appointment, his responsibilities and how faith and science can go hand in hand. Edited excerpts.

Your appointment as the Director of the Vatican Observatory, means that for the first time, many people in India will be hearing that there is something known as the Vatican Observatory and that there are Religious Priests involved in studying the stars. With that ...