As most of you are well aware, when I arrived at Saint Matthew’s in the summer of 2005, I was not happy about the Blue laws – rules mandating that non-food stores stay closed on Sundays. To me, as someone who grew up in New York, shopping on Sundays after church was as American as apple pie and Yankee world championships (sorry, eventually you knew I would bring up the Yankees in some post).

But as time went on, I started to like those archaic laws. It was nice to actually say that I was going to rest on Sunday. I took time to visit with family and friends. Without the tug to go shopping, my Sundays became enjoyable. Honestly, I kind of like the Blue Laws here in Bergen County and, if they ever came up to a vote again, to would vote to keep them.

However, businesses aren’t thrilled with the laws, claiming it cuts into their profits. Orthodox Jews complain that since they cannot shop on Saturday (by religious rule) when the stores are open, having the stores closed on Sunday is discriminatory. From town to town, enforcement of the laws varies.

So the obvious question was raised today in a front page article in The Record: do we need the Blue laws?

My opinion? I like them. For at least one day in the week, it gives everyone a time to relax and reflect. Too bad the Blue Laws don’t convince people to come to a place that is actually open on Sunday — church. Maybe if we offer designer coffee …