Letters to the Editor

For our letter writing policy, click here

Many opportunities to pray the Liturgy of the Hours in archdiocese

In the March 18 issue of The Criterion, there were two articles in the “Faith Alive!” section encouraging us to participate in prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours. The article by Jim Schellman suggested that the official text, The Liturgy of the Hours, can be a bit intimidating. I agree. I found this the case when I bought the text over a decade ago at Krieg’s bookstore in Indianapolis, following an article by John Fink in The Criterion on the value of praying from The Liturgy of the Hours.

Fortunately, the salesperson at Krieg’s recommended I learn by immersion through participation in the Morning Prayer held every weekday, from 7 a.m. to 7:20 a.m., by the Franciscans at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church on the near-southside of Indianapolis. This was very convenient to work, and I made it a part of my daily routine. It was a wonderful experience!

When I no longer worked downtown, we started a morning prayer group in the Bosler Chapel at St. Thomas Aquinas (46th and Illinois) Church in Indian­apolis. It also meets every weekday, but from 7:30 a.m. to 7:50 a.m. The group has met every weekday for over a year and a half.

Anyone is welcome to join us at St. Thomas, on a regular or occasional basis, and become familiar with morning prayer from The Liturgy of the Hours. If our location and time is not convenient, I am sure the Franciscans would also welcome laypeople to their morning prayer at Sacred Heart Church. Interested individuals might also contact the nuns at the Benedictine or Carmelite Monasteries to see if they could attend their morning prayer. This is a great way to start your day in a centered fashion.

I wonder how many other opportunities like this are available in the diocese? Maybe The Criterion could list them?

-Bill Scott, Indianapolis

More on creationism and evolution

In recent editions of The Criterion, there have appeared letters to the editor regarding creationism versus evolution. It seems to me that an important point that no one has addressed is the existence of the laws of nature that govern the process of “evolution.” Actually, I believe the correct term is “natural selection.”

The idea of natural selection is based on the two phenomena of individual differences, about which we hear a great deal from educators, and mutation, which is not a very common phenomenon. Any given environment will have a tendency to select the individuals best suited to survive in that particular environment, all according to the laws of nature. It is then self-evident that natural selection works.

What no one ever seems to question is, “Where do the laws of nature come from?” After all, they are not just “there.” Can we not assume that the author of the natural processes we call “laws” is God and that this is why they work infallibly? If so, then there should be no quarrel between creationists and evolutionists.

The creationists tell us who is responsible for creation and the evolutionists tell us how it was done. There is no question that we live in an orderly universe. If we did not, then all science would be a waste of time.

-Harry F. Docke, Indianapolis