Mokantx,
I don't think we disagree a lot in a discomfort of silencing others.  But neither Galileo nor de Chardin were censored and silenced for their science, but for either their opinions about a theology coming from that science or, in Galileo's case, partly for being a great big egomaniac who alienated his early, ardent defenders with arguments akin to "I don't need evidence - I'm right and you're dim."  Not a good argument when the Church was also fighting the various heresies and political intrigues brought about through the Protestant deformation.
I think that the Church does want truth and understands that science can lead us to better understand God through His creation.  It's when scientists try a hand at theology that problems begin to arise.