ity ▁and ▁It ' s ▁Disc over er ' s " ▁was ▁used ▁as ▁a ▁reference ▁book ▁in ▁Saint ▁Louis ▁public ▁schools . ▁ ▁Other ▁published ▁books ▁include ▁" A stronom y , ▁Old ▁and ▁New ", ▁" What ▁C athol ics ▁Have ▁Done ▁for ▁Science ", ▁" S cience ▁of ▁the ▁Bible ", ▁and ▁" G od ' s ▁Word ▁in ▁Nature " ▁B ren nan ▁was ▁a ▁nation ally ▁known ▁astronom er ▁and ▁a ▁frequent ▁contrib utor ▁to ▁scientific ▁and ▁lay ▁newsp apers . ▁ ▁Kn own ▁as ▁an ▁astronom er - p ri est , ▁his ▁studies ▁of ▁com ets ▁and ▁sun sp ots ▁were ▁c ited ▁in ▁contemporary ▁newsp apers . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁best ▁known ▁as ▁an ▁astronom er , ▁but ▁also ▁studied ▁the ▁Great ▁T orn ado ▁of ▁Saint ▁Louis ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 6 . ▁He ▁delivered ▁lect ures ▁on ▁scientific ▁topics ▁to ▁local ▁aud ien ces ▁ ▁B ren nan ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁several ▁scientific ▁soci eties , ▁including ▁the ▁British ▁Astronom ical ▁Association , ▁the ▁Astronom ical ▁Society ▁of ▁the ▁Pacific , ▁the ▁Astronom y ▁and ▁Ast ro phys ical ▁Society ▁of ▁America , ▁the ▁Saint ▁Louis ▁Academy ▁of ▁Science , ▁the ▁American ▁Mathemat ical ▁Society , ▁and ▁the ▁National ▁Ge ological ▁Society . ▁ ▁In ▁addition ▁to ▁his ▁work ▁as ▁a ▁scient ist , ▁B ren nan ▁continued ▁to ▁work ▁as ▁a ▁Catholic ▁priest ▁in ▁Missouri . ▁ ▁He ▁served ▁miss ions , ▁in ▁Hann ib al , ▁Missouri ▁and ▁Leb