So here's the reference that I found on the evolution issue from www.catholic.com:
http://www.catholic.com/library/adam_eve_and_evolution.asp
It seems that Pope Pius XII sanctioned it(Pius XII, Humani Generis 36).
Here's the citation:
Concerning human evolution, the Church has a more definite teaching. It allows for the possibility that man’s body developed from previous biological forms, under God’s guidance, but it insists on the special creation of his soul. Pope Pius XII declared that "the teaching authority of the Church does not forbid that, in conformity with the present state of human sciences and sacred theology, research and discussions . . . take place with regard to the doctrine of evolution, in as far as it inquires into the origin of the human body as coming from pre-existent and living matter—[but] the Catholic faith obliges us to hold that souls are immediately created by God" (Pius XII, Humani Generis 36)
My undergraduate degree in Cellular and Molecular Biology gives me a peek into the probability of mankind arising from evolutionary processes. If you take the time to do the math, the probability is ZERO. I know that there are plenty of secular AND 'christian' academics and scientists who adhere to the theory of evolution, but not this soldier.
The bible says that God made mankind a little lower than the angels. Some rat creature is not "a little lower than the angels," nor is it made in God's image. The Pope obviously had some other agenda in mind when he issued that opinion.
My understanding of science is rudimentary at best and I'm not much better at theology. But I'll give you some possibilities:
1. At what point in the First Day did God command light? As there was no differentiation between night and day, that day could have been thousands of years.
2. On the Second Day He created the firmament, this WOULD HAVE affected gravity and the Earth's rotation possibly shortening the duration of the day.
3. The Third Day the waters were gathered and dry land was created, so during these two days which could have lasted ANY LENGTH OF TIME anything could have happened in the seas.
4. Also, on the Third Day, vegetation was created; however, on the Fourth Day God said, "Let there be lights made in the firmament of heaven, to divide the day and the night, and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years."
So, what we have are four days that lasted an undetermined length of time, this could have been thousands even millions of years.
God bless you for that.
ME EITHER!