Everyone had a right to rest on Sunday and a duty to cultivate this heritage, the Commission for Pastoral Activities among Workers said in a statement.
It said that it was a common practice for workers to have a rest day and this right was protected by law.
In Malta, this day was Sunday. If six people worked seven days they would be doing the work seven workers did in six days, so six workers working on Sunday would be stealing another’s work.
This was not beneficial to an employer because the seven days would be paid at a much higher right and tiredness reduced efficiency.
The International Labour Organisation said workers should have 24 consecutive hours of rest a week and when this was possible this should be given to all workers together.
The commission said that Sunday should be a day of rest. Rest should be part of a worker’s style of life to reflect on life and get away from the stress of everyday life.
When one rested, one would be able to take a better look at the difficult schedule of work, get a better understanding of oneself and does not remain in a state of mind thinking that he has to be in control of everything. He would feel better and be better prepared for another week’s work.
The commission warned that in today’s hurried life, the absolute importance of rest was being forgotten but the Church made it a point to always remind one of this right.
Sundays, it said, should be blessed with charitable work and with dedication to family and others, especially the elderly and the sick. Sunday was also good for reflection, study and meditation and for thinking about others who had the same needs and duties but who, because of poverty and misery could not rest.
Public authorities, it said, had a right to ensure that people were not denied this right.
Christians should insist that Sundays and holy days should be legal holidays and be an example to all through their prayers and happiness on these days. They should defend their traditions as a precious contribution to the spiritual life of society.
Because of social needs, there were workers who had to work on Sundays, such as those in the health, tourism, public transport and public safety sectors.
But every Christian should avoid of making others work on Sundays, depriving them of the opportunity to observe Sunday as the day of the Lord.
There were traditional activities and social needs which made some work on Sundays but everyone should ensure that he had sufficient time to rest.
Christians should agree with their employer that if they had to carry out indispensable work on Sundays, they would still get time to rest, including to carry out one’s religious duties.
Sunday was a family day. It was time for the family to unite. But if the father was off on Monday and the mother on Wednesday, how could a family unite when Sunday swas the children’s rest day?
If Europe wanted to strengthen social bonds, it had to safeguard and protect Sunday.
Sunday was dear to Europe and Malta and everyone had the duty to safeguard this heritage for the benefit of workers and the economy.