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Ottawa Citizen

Letters: Pope Francis bridged the traditional and the progressive

Pope did difficult work with good will Article content Article content Pope Francis was a good man placed in a very difficult position. Just like western society at large, he had to reconcile traditional groups trying to stay with the old ways and progressive groups trying new ideas and trends. The conflict was seemingly unavoidable. Article content For example, how do you reconcile a dogmatic command of 'thou shall not commit adultery' with the prevailing notion that sex is OK as long as you don't break the law? An evolving law which accommodates new trends. Article content Article content Pope Francis managed the impossible and stayed above the fray with a humility, honesty and compassion for all men and women of good will, no matter what their orientation and views. He is remembered fondly by the marginalized and the poor as well as the powerful and the rich. He was a truly outstanding man who shall be missed by not just Catholics and Christians but by many others who value honesty and compassion. Article content Rafal Pomian, Ottawa Article content Hardship will be caused to residents of Carling Avenue by the cancellation of three bus routes — 55, 80 and 81 — which have hitherto served the Westgate Shopping Centre axis. It is intolerable that the entire expansive Carling Avenue will now be served by only Bus 85. Article content Westgate Shopping Centre houses a government department (Service Ontario) and numerous business centres including a 24-hour Shoppers Drugmart, Canada Post, TD Bank, a health centre and a dental office, among others. Importantly, the axis has eight new high-rise residential buildings at the Archibald area, near Westgate Mall, with high occupancy. Article content Article content With three cancelled bus routes, getting to places like Westboro, Tunney's Pasture, Clyde Avenue and the Baseline Shopping Centre (Walmart, etc.) is now cumbersome and tedious, especially in the winter months, requiring more connections and long, uncomfortable walks, with heavy shopping bags, to and from stops. Particularly painful is cancellation of Bus 80 and 81 with service to Tunney's Pasture. Article content Article content Because of these inequalities mentioned by Josiah Frith, The Ottawa Field Naturalists' Club (OFNC) has been giving the MacSkimming Outdoor Education Centre several thousand dollars a year to arrange bus transportation for children from those public schools that otherwise would not be able to send their pupils to this superb outdoor learning centre. Article content