+Religion – Jimmy Akin

Benedict XVI on Aliens and the Vatican UFO Claims – Jimmy Akin’s Mysterious World

Domenico Bettinelli — Fri, 13 Nov 2026 10:00:02 +0000

A retired pope answers a philosopher’s questions about Adam, original sin and life on other planets. Jimmy Akin and Dom Bettinelli read Benedict XVI’s 2014 letter and ask whether the Vatican could be hiding proof of aliens.

https://youtu.be/nYCjQpy7BtI

Help us continue to offer Jimmy Akin’s Mysterious World. Won’t you make a pledge at SQPN.com/give today?

Links for this episode:

Please spread the word about the podcast. Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!
Purchase the books and other material from this and other episodes at the Mysterious World Bookstore.
Join the conversation at the Starquest Facebook page and the Jimmy Akin’s Mysterious World Facebook page.
Be part of the StarQuest Discord community at SQPN.com/discord
Send your feedback or comments to feedback@mysterious.fm or send a tweet to @mys_world
You can also leave a voice message on the Mysterious Feedback Line at (619) 738-4515

Chapters:

0:00:00 – Intro
0:01:41 – A Crossover Episode
0:03:50 – The Jimmy Akin Podcast: Benedict XVI on Adam and Aliens
0:04:51 – Is the Letter Authentic?
0:09:14 – Who Is Paolo Musso?
0:15:07 – What Authority Does the Letter Have?
0:19:42 – How Musso Received the Letter
0:22:22 – Musso’s Four Questions
0:25:20 – Benedict’s Introduction and the Problem of Geocentrism
0:29:58 – What Is Polygenism?
0:31:07 – Pius XII and Humani Generis
0:37:08 – Communion and Stewardship
0:41:53 – Benedict on Polygenism
0:45:16 – Benedict on Original Sin
0:46:20 – Archbishop Léonard’s Proposal
0:49:47 – Von Balthasar and Gregory of Nyssa
0:52:54 – Benedict on Intelligent Aliens
0:57:36 – Christ’s Cosmic Triumph
1:01:19 – Benedict’s Position of Openness
1:03:04 – Thank you to Patrons
1:03:34 – Sponsor: Fr. Dwight Longenecker
1:04:24 – Sponsor: Gravetending Solutions
1:05:05 – New Segment: Benedict’s Letter and the Vatican UFO Claims
1:06:10 – What Is Exopolitics?
1:06:53 – Michael Salla and Pope Leo XIV
1:09:24 – The Magenta UFO Crash
1:10:10 – David Grusch and the Vatican
1:12:35 – Controlled Disclosure and Exo-Vaticana
1:14:14 – Salla’s 2014 Prediction
1:16:24 – Was Benedict in a Position to Know?
1:19:08 – The CDF and the Third Secret of Fatima
1:20:58 – Was Benedict Lying?
1:22:48 – Bottom Line
1:24:08 – The Jimmy Akin Podcast
1:24:32 – Further Resources
1:25:32 – Mysterious Feedback: #432 The Shepherd of Hermas
1:36:03 – Your mysterious feedback
1:36:39 – Thank you to Oasis Studio 7
1:36:43 – Jimmy’s YouTube channel
1:36:48 – Share the show / write a review
1:37:26 – Next Time: The 1963 Chicago Plot to Kill JFK
1:38:06 – Get your Mysterious merch
1:38:23 – Show notes
1:38:30 – Become a Patron
1:38:40 – Sponsor: Rosary Army and School of Mary
1:39:03 – Sponsor: The Grady Group
1:39:21 – Outro

This Episode is Brought to You By:

Rosary Army. Featuring award-winning Catholic podcasts, Rosary resources, videos, and the School of Mary online community, prayer, and learning platform. Learn how to make them, pray them, and give them away while growing in your faith at RosaryArmy.com and SchoolOfMary.com

The Grady Group, a Catholic company bringing financial clarity to their clients across the United States. Using safe money options to produce reasonable rates of return for their clients. Learn more by visiting GradyGroup.us.

Father Dwight Longenecker. Fr. Dwight Longenecker reminds the Jimmy Akin’s Mysterious World audience that one of the most mysterious of mysteries is coming up, and that is the mystery of Christ’s nativity, otherwise known as Christmas. The Magi, along with the shepherds, are the mysterious strangers who come to visit the stable boy of Bethlehem. In his two Christmas books, Father Longenecker explores the Mystery of the Magi and the Secret of the Bethlehem Shepherds. These books will deepen your understanding of Christmas and are perfect to wrap up and put beneath the tree. To cut through all the mystery and get down to the history, check out Fr. Longenecker’s Substack and website

< href="http://gravetendingsolutions.com/">Grave Tending Solutions. Grave tending is a professional service and apostolate that brings peace of mind to families by caring for established gravesites. Distance and physical limitations can create barriers to maintaining a loved one’s final resting place. From planting graveside gardens to cleaning headstones, a grave tending professional provides a way for their clients to continue to care for and honor their loved ones. If you’re interested in learning more about grave tending, either as a client or as someone who’d like to enter the profession, please visit GraveTendingSolutions.com

Want to Sponsor A Show?
Support StarQuest’s mission to explore the intersection of faith and pop culture by becoming a named sponsor of the show of your choice on the StarQuest network. Click to get started or find out more.

Direct Link to the Episode.

Subscribe on iTunes. | Other Ways to Subscribe.