Sunday’s special and an essential pillar of the European social model. However, the latest European Working Condition Survey indicates that more and more EU citizens have to work on this day. The European Sunday Alliance therefore launched today, on the European day of work-free Sunday, a call to action to show the need for a common EU-wide regulation.
This year the members and supporters from all over Europe are invited to issue statements and pictures why a work-free Sunday is special. Members of the European Parliament, the National Sunday Alliances as well as representatives of labour unions, the Churches and youth organisations reacted already to the call and sent their statements. Together they agreed that Sunday is of great importance because it allows families to spend time together, employees to rest from their daily work life and citizens to engage in community. Continue reading
The Catholic Diocese of Hallam and the Anglican Diocese of Sheffield came together to host an ecumenical Study Day on Pope Francis’ encyclical on Saturday, 25th February. A packed room at Sheffield’s Quaker Meeting House came away enthused and inspired to foster care for creation in their home parishes. “The suggestion to explore Laudato Si’ together came from the Anglican diocese”, explained Greg Ryan, adult formation advisor for Hallam. “Not only have we been studying together, but we’ve learned from each other, often in practical ways. It’s been an experience of ‘receptive ecumenism”’. 
“A high-level whistleblower at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has revealed that the organization published manipulated data in a major 2015 report on climate change in order to maximize impact on world leaders at the UN climate conference in Paris in 2015. According to a 
“The U.S. Supreme Court has been handed a bombshell: An appeal of a lower-court ruling that banned Christian counselors from talking with teens about the biblical standard for sexuality. …The law originated with homosexual interests who want the state to require licensed counselors to promote homosexuality but be banned from explaining its negative consequences. It began in the state’s schools, where a previous law allowed promotion of homosexuality but forbade educators from explaining the problems. “If the Supreme Court grants our petition for certiorari, this will be the most important freedom of religion case for this year and will impact the rights of counseling ministries across the country, potentially for generations to come,” said Brad Dacus, president of PJI. He said since the passing of SB 1172, which bars licensed counselors from assisting youth who want to change or reduce same-sex attractions, PJI has worked to defend counseling that takes place within church walls. The law also prohibits counseling that would steer youth away from gender confusion.” –
“What I want to see from the Trump administration is a focus on God and the Constitution,” DeLay told WND. “It’s pretty simple. The implementation is very difficult, but what I want to see is a bold understanding that faith is the core of this country and the Constitution is the core of our government.” The former majority leader calls for a revolution that will transform the very core of America in his brand new book “Revival! Revolution! Rebirth!” He assures Americans he does not want a violent revolution but a spiritual one, similar to the First Great Awakening of the 1730s and 1740s.” –
ortion and the death penalty have long been cardinal beliefs for the Roman Catholic church, whose faithful make up about a quarter of all Americans. What if fighting climate change becomes an equally passionate issue in parishes nationwide? The foremost group of Catholic leaders in the U.S. is ramping up a campaign to do just that, urging priests and congregations from San Diego to Atlanta to think about global warming as a sanctity-of-life issue.” –
“The Obama administration withheld information from Congress and improperly fired an employee as part of a politically motivated push to end a Department of Energy (DOE) program, House Republicans say. A 
“A recent 
“For some, it’s a dream come true: The ability to walk into a grocery store, grab anything you want off the shelves, and simply walk out. There’s no need to wait in line at a busy cash register. Your bank account will be automatically debited when you leave the store. It’s magical. …So the day is coming when people will be able to pull up to cashier-less stores in their driverless car, leaving their cashless wallet at home. All they will need is their smartphone and Amazon’s new app, called 
“Three sources from different conservative groups said that Heritage employees have been soliciting, stockpiling and vetting résumés for months with an eye on stacking Trump’s administration with conservative appointees across the government. One source described the efforts as a “shadow transition team” and “an effort to have the right kind of people in there. …Ultimately, Trump won 81 percent of the evangelical vote, a higher percentage than even George W. Bush — himself a devout born-again Christian earned in 2004. Part of the reason the list made such a splash was because Heritage and DeMint are hugely influential in deeply conservative circles, often appearing at the nexus of conservative power structures. …It will be as exciting as the 1930s, greater than the Reagan revolution — conservatives, plus populists, in an economic nationalist movement. And daylight between traditionally conservative policy prescriptions and some of Trump’s campaign rhetoric is especially apparent on the issue of foreign policy.” –