COMECE Supports the European Sunday Alliance
The European Sunday Alliance is a network of national Sunday Alliances, trade unions, civil society organizations and religious communities committed to raise awareness of the unique value of synchronised free time for our European societies. Sunday and, more general, decent working hours, are the focus of our campaigns. In its Founding Statement, the Alliance draws attention to aspects of life/work-balance and social cohesion that depend on a vast majority of people to have their lawful free time at the same time.
Who we are
COMECE is the Commission of the Catholic Bishops' Conferences of the European Community.
Our main objectives are to monitor and analyse the political process of the European Union; inform and raise awareness within the Church of the development of EU policy and legislation; maintain a regular Dialogue with the EU Institutions; promote reflection, based on the Church's social teaching, on the challenges facing a united Europe.
Whom we represent
COMECE is made up of Bishops delegated by the 26 Catholic Bishops' Conferences of the European Union and it has a permanent Secretariat in Brussels. COMECE is funded by the Bishops' Conferences of the European Union. Its Secretariat is currently made of 10 collaborators.
Why we support the European Sunday Alliance
From a spiritual perspective: For many Europeans – not only Christians – Sunday offers the opportunity to pause for a while in order to become aware of the fundamental questions of life: Who am I? Where am I going? Which goals do I want to achieve? Human beings need time for what cannot be calculated, measured or expressed in economic terms. In the light of the great significance of Sunday for the spiritual life of many EU citizens and taking due account of the religious and cultural factors prevailing in the Member States, COMECE believes that the minimum weekly rest period shall in principle include Sunday.
From a social perspective: Work-free Sundays traditionally support the independence of persons from a purely economic-driven lifestyle. Only a well-protected common work-free day per week enables citizens to enjoy full participation in cultural, sports, social life, to seek cultural enrichment and spiritual well-being and to engage in volunteer work and association activities. Without this day, all these forms of social interaction and pastime would be endangered.
Our initiatives to support Sunday Protection
COMECE co-organised the first European Conference "Work free Sunday" on 24 March 2010 in the European Parliament and signed the Call for the Work free Sunday. Through its dialogue with European Institutions, its Conferences and Seminars, through its reflections and publications, COMECE is committed to promote the protection of Sunday as the weekly rest day in principle in the European Union and to defend decent working hours for workers.
COMECE signed the Founding Statement of the European Sunday Alliance and co-organised the Official Launching Conference of the Alliance on 20 June 2011 in Brussels. As a material support, COMECE is currently holding the Secretariat of theEuropean Sunday Alliance.
www.europeansundayalliance.eu
http://www.comece.org/site/en/activities/europeansundayalliance/article/k4344.html
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