God made not only Man but also any other intelligent life in the Universe, the Vatican's top astronomer said Tuesday.
''Just as there is a multiplicity of creatures on Earth there could be other beings, intelligent ones, created by God,'' Father Jose' Gabriel Funes told Vatican daily L'Osservatore Romano.
''This does not clash with our faith because we cannot set limits on God's creative freedom,'' said the Jesuit astronomer, who is head of the Vatican Observatory.
''To quote St Francis, if we view earthly creatures as our brothers and sisters, why can't we speak of a brother from another planet?
''Any aliens would also be part of Creation,'' said the Argentine priest, who took over at the prestigious scientific institute two years ago after an evolution flap involving the former head.
Aliens might not need to be 'saved' to enter Heaven, Funes added.
Especially if they were ''more evolved,'' he said, ''they might not need saving''.
''They might have remained in full friendship with their Creator,'' he said, using a theological term.
In any case, he stressed, it was all right for people to believe in God and aliens too.
''One can admit the (possible) existence of other worlds and other life forms...without calling into question one's belief in Creation''.
