The National Catholic Register, citing CNA, reports on the return of the Artemis II crew from their 10-day journey around the moon. The astronauts, Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, Victor Glover, and Jeremy Hansen, shared reflections centered on human solidarity, gratitude, and the beauty of Earth, framing their experience through a lens of naturalistic wonder and vague theism, while remaining conspicuously silent on the divine Creator and the true purpose of human existence.
The Void in the Void: Artemis II and the Silence of Modern Man Before His Creator
The reflections of the Artemis II crew, as presented in the cited article, offer a poignant case study in the spiritual condition of contemporary man, even those who profess faith. While their words are filled with awe and gratitude, they reveal a profound theological emptiness, a naturalism that, despite its veneer of piety, fails to ascend to the supernatural order. This silence on the fundamental truths of creation, sin, and redemption is not merely an omission; it is a symptom of the pervasive modernist apostasy that has infected even those who would consider themselves people of faith.
The Earth as a “Lifeboat” and the Denial of Divine Providence
Christina Koch’s observation that Earth appeared as a “lifeboat, hanging undisturbingly in the universe” is a striking image, yet it remains tragically incomplete. She perceives the fragility and isolation of our planet, but fails to connect this to the omnipotent hand of the Creator who sustains it. The universe is not a random void, but a magnificent creation, ordered and governed by Divine Providence. As Pope Pius XI taught in *Quas Primas*, “Christ’s kingdom… extends not only to Catholic nations or to those who, by receiving baptism according to law, belong to the Church, even though their erroneous opinions have led them astray or discord has separated them from love, but His reign encompasses also all non-Christians, so that most truly the entire human race is subject to the authority of Jesus Christ.” To see Earth as merely a “lifeboat” in a meaningless void is to deny the very purpose of creation and the sovereignty of its Maker. It is a view born of secularism, which “began with the denial of Christ the Lord’s reign over all nations,” as Pius XI lamented.
“It’s a Special Thing to Be Human”: A Naturalistic Reduction of Man’s Dignity
Reid Wiseman’s statement, “It’s a special thing to be a human and it’s a special thing to be on planet Earth,” while seemingly innocuous, is a profound reduction of human dignity. What makes man “special” in the eyes of the world is often his intellect, his capacity for exploration, or his emotional bonds. However, from the perspective of integral Catholic faith, man’s true specialness lies in his creation in the image and likeness of God, his elevation to the supernatural order by grace, and his ultimate destiny for eternal beatitude. The *Syllabus of Errors* condemns the notion that “human reason, without any reference whatsoever to God, is the sole arbiter of truth and falsehood, and of good and evil” (Proposition 3). To speak of human specialness without reference to these foundational truths is to offer a hollow, naturalistic definition, devoid of the very elements that truly elevate man above the beasts. It is a reflection of the “cult of man” that has infiltrated even those who profess belief in a Creator.
Vague Theism and the Absence of Christ
Victor Glover’s expressions of gratitude to God, while commendable in their intent, remain frustratingly vague. He speaks of thanking God and loving one’s neighbor, but the specific tenets of the Catholic faith, the necessity of the Church, the sacraments, and the redemptive work of Christ, are entirely absent. This is the hallmark of modernist “faith” – a generalized spirituality that avoids dogmatic truth and the demands of the Gospel. St. Pius X, in *Lamentabili Sane Exitu*, condemned the idea that “revelation was merely man’s self-awareness of his relationship to God” (Proposition 20) and that “the dogmas which the Church proposes as revealed are not truths of divine origin but are a certain interpretation of religious facts, which the human mind has worked out with great effort” (Proposition 22). The astronauts’ reflections, while perhaps personally meaningful, offer no anchor in revealed truth, no call to conversion, and no acknowledgment of the Church as the sole ark of salvation. Jeremy Hansen’s emphasis on “gratitude, joy, and love” without the context of Christ and His Church is a purely humanistic sentiment, however well-intentioned.
The “Human Experience” Over Scientific Endeavor: A Symptom of Modernist Relativism
Hansen’s remark that “it’s the human experience that is extraordinary for us” over the scientific learnings is telling. While the human element is undeniably important, this prioritization reflects a modernist tendency to elevate subjective experience and sentiment over objective truth and the pursuit of knowledge for God’s glory. The Church has always encouraged scientific inquiry as a means to understand God’s creation better. To downplay the scientific achievements in favor of a generalized “human experience” is to embrace a form of relativism that diminishes the intellectual rigor and the divine mandate to “subdue the earth” (Genesis 1:28). It echoes the errors condemned in the *Syllabus of Errors*, which warns against the idea that “the Church is an enemy of the progress of natural and theological sciences” (Proposition 57) or that “truth changes with man, because it develops with him, in him, and through him” (Proposition 58).
The Silence of the “Clergy” and the Failure of Spiritual Leadership
Perhaps most damning is the complete absence of any spiritual guidance or theological reflection from any “clergy” or “Catholic” authority in the article. One would expect a mission of this magnitude, involving individuals who profess faith, to be accompanied by chaplains, spiritual directors, or at least some public acknowledgment of the Church’s role in providing spiritual sustenance. This silence is a stark indictment of the modernist “Church,” which has largely abandoned its prophetic role, preferring to blend in with the secular world rather than challenge it. The “clergy” are either absent, or their voices are muted, failing to provide the faithful with the necessary supernatural perspective on such momentous events. This aligns with the modernist tendency to reduce the Church’s mission to social work and humanistic concerns, rather than the salvation of souls and the propagation of the Faith.
Conclusion: A Missed Opportunity for Evangelization
The Artemis II mission, a testament to human ingenuity and courage, has returned with reflections that, while emotionally resonant, are spiritually impoverished. The astronauts’ awe, though genuine, remains trapped within a naturalistic framework, failing to ascend to the supernatural realities that give true meaning to human existence and the cosmos. Their gratitude, though expressed, lacks the specificity and depth that comes from a firm grounding in Catholic doctrine. This is a profound missed opportunity for evangelization, a moment where the wonders of creation could have been explicitly linked to the glory of the Creator and the redemptive work of Christ. Instead, we are left with a testament to modern man’s spiritual blindness, a blindness that even the vastness of space cannot illuminate without the light of true Faith. The “abomination of desolation” in the holy place is not merely a physical desolation, but a spiritual one, where the truths of God are obscured by human sentiment and naturalistic philosophy, even in the hearts of those who look upon the heavens.
Source:
‘It’s a Special Thing to Be Human’: Artemis II Crew Returns With Awe, Gratitude, and Faith (ncregister.com)
Date: 14.04.2026