The Archdiocese of Detroit observed a Gold Mass for Scientists and Engineers with a livestream of the mass from the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament.

The archdiocese shared the mass on its Facebook page Nov. 15, the Feast Day of St. Albert the Great, patron saint of scientists. 

The Very Rev.  J.J. Mech, rector and pastor at Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament, celebrated the Mass. 

St. Albert the Great "grabbed onto Aristotelian philosophy, and he merged academics and religion and helped people to understand that wonderful gift,” Mech said during the mass.

The Rev. Sal Palazzolo, homilist for the mass, shared his experience as a mechanical engineer who became a priest. He asked celebrants to pray for scientists and engineers, that they would give witness by their work and discovery to “the One who is truth itself.”  

“Today, more than ever, we need to share the message that faith and reason are not opposed to one another, that the church rejoices in the fact that her sons and daughters rigorously pursue the truth to be found in creation and to seek to apply its findings to the betterment of mankind,” Palazzolo said in the video.  

The Society of Catholic Scientists website states the group, founded in 2016, "is an answer to the call of Pope St. John Paul II that 'members of the Church who are active scientists' be of service to those who are attempting to 'integrate the worlds of science and religion in their own intellectual and spiritual lives'." The website states SCS "fosters fellowship among Catholic scientists and witnesses to the harmony of faith and reason.”

SCS, a 501(c)(3) organization with 1,600 members worldwide, states four main goals: To provide a way for Catholic scientists to connect and develop relationships; to “witness to the harmony” of science and faith; to provide a platform where questions about the relationship between science and faith can be explored; and to provide resources for anyone, including teachers, journalists, and the general public, who want to know more about how science and faith fit together, according to its website.

As to why the mass for scientists on St. Albert the Great's feast day is "gold,"  “(t)he Gold Mass is ‘gold’ because that is color of the regalia hood worn by persons graduating with doctoral degrees in science,” the Archdiocese of Detroit’s explained in its Facebook post.