2023年将临期牧函
成为共议同行的天主子民
“吾主上主的神临到我身上，因为上主给我傅了油……宣布上主恩慈的喜年”。（依撒意亚先知书61:1a, 2a）
主内亲爱的姊妹弟兄：
今年的将临期来得稍晚一点，但由这个充满期待和希望的节期经已来临。感谢天主，我们总是有具体的理由抱持希望。我们作为教会和子民结伴同行时，可以心怀希望期待着厄马奴耳的应许逐渐展现在我们面前。
我们要明白，教会不只是关乎圣统制。根据梵蒂冈第二次届大公会议的教导，“天主子民”的概念包括了平信徒、修会会士和神职人员，它是教会非常基本的特质。我们天主子民是受傅者，洗礼时便领受了基督徒的尊严（《教会宪章》第2章）。对，受傅和尊严——作为天主子民的尊严，以基督为首成为一个身体。
我们尊严的另一个幅度关乎使命。因着我们的洗礼，我们分担了天主在世的使命。这使命并不复杂、不用研究多年才会明白。它关乎天主所爱和恩待的众生，回看禧年免除债务的教导便可得知（肋25:10-11；依49:8）。这是免受被罪奴役的自由，让我们恢复蒙召时的身份——天主子民。
以上这一点特别有意思，因为现今世界无疑是沉浸在仇恨、暴力和破坏当中。众多心灵都变得躁动不定、迷茫，甚至想报复。我们需要平安和希望。我们需要好消息。简言之，我们需要天主！
平安和希望从哪里开始？从我们自己开始，使我们的内心和意念皈依，成为福音的真正信徒。天主的恩惠临于我们、上主的受傅者身上。把这些应用到本地处境当中，我们作为在香港的天主子民，不但可以把好消息带给本地人，还可以透过数码媒体把好消息传遍整个世界。
作为天主子民，我们被召唤成为共议同行的教会。 “共议同行”（Synodality）是我们的使命，要向人们见证作为伙伴的意思，并蒙召在天主永恒的爱内一起朝着我们的共同终向走去。在天主的爱内，我们可以得到真正的平安。有意思的是，共议同行既是一项使命，也是一个向社会和世界传递天主眷顾的方法。
因此，为要去履行共议同行的使命，我们就必须先被培育成为共议同行的天主子民。在去年的将临期牧函中，我提到有需要为圣职人员、修会会士和平信徒——特别是我们的年轻人——提供知识和灵性上的培育。我们仍然有赖信仰小团体和礼仪，支持我们学习和实践如何成为共议同行的子民。
要广泛培育大家认识最近世界主教代表会议所采纳“在圣神内交谈”的方式，它会帮助建立一个聆听和分享的群体。我们要学会成为懂得尊重和具备同理心的聆听者，以及真诚的分享者，好能在群体内建立信任。“爱情不可是虚伪的……应与喜乐的一同喜乐，与哭泣的一同哭泣。”（罗12:9，15）
然而，我们几乎可以肯定，大家的意见不会时常相汇。可以预期分歧冲突会带来张力。那么，我们该如何应对这些张力呢？
比较好的方法是，不要赶急地或轻率地去除张力，因为弱势者会有着被迫妥协的危险。重要的是，要学习如何托由分歧而来的张力，同时着眼于相通处或共同点，以帮助我们共同前进，这会更为可取。
我们蒙召成为共议同行的子民，好见证与我们同行的天主的大爱。我们透过以同理心倾听那些遭受伤害和痛苦、幻灭、绝望和教会内的边缘人士的声音，与他们同行，为他们提供某些援助，就是给他们提供了见证和希望。我们知道无法解决他们的问题。但可以透过与他们同行，成为伙伴，与他们分享天主的恩惠。
最后，教宗方济各早前公布2024年为“祈祷年”，聚焦于《我们的天父》（《天主经》），为2025年“希望的朝圣者”禧年做好准备。愿天主父的和平、公义与仁爱的国度，在我们致力成为共议同行的天主子民时，逐渐临现于世。愿天主的恩惠在“祈祷年”与你们同在！
＋周守仁枢机
香港教区主教
2023年将临期
Advent Pastoral Letter 2023
Becoming A Synodal People of God
“The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me…. To announce a year of favour from the Lord” (Isaiah 61:1a, 2a)
My dear sisters and brothers in Christ,
Advent comes a little later this year, but the season of anticipation and hope is here. Thanks be to God that we always have a solid reason for our hope. We anticipate with hope the promise of Emmanuel to continue unfolding before us as we journey together as a Church and a people.
It is important for us to understand that our Church is not just about the hierarchy. The concept of “the People of God,” including laity, religious and clergy, is very much an essential character of the Church according to the Second Vatican Council. We are the anointed People of God with the dignity received at our baptism (Lumen Gentium, Ch. 2). Yes, anointing and dignity — the dignity of being the people of God, forming as one body with Christ as its head.
Another dimension of our dignity is its connection to mission. By virtue of our baptism, we share the mission of God in the world. The mission is not so complex that it requires years of studies to comprehend. It is about God’s favour for all God’s loved ones, recalling the jubilee year of release from debts (Leviticus 25:1011; Isaiah 49:8). That is freedom from the slavery of sin that enables us to be who we are called to be — the people of God.
This is particularly meaningful as our world today is unmistakably immersed in hate, violence, and destruction. The hearts of many have become unsteady, confused, and some have even become vengeful. We need peace and hope. We need good news. In short, we need God!
Where to start for peace and hope? With ourselves so that our hearts and minds are converted and become true believers of the Good News. The favour of God is on us, the anointed ones of God. Applying this to the local context, we as people of God in Hong Kong can bring the Good News not only to the locals, but to the entire world through the digital media.
As a people of God, we are called to become a synodal Church. “Synodality” is our mission, witnessing to others what it means to be companions, called to journey together to our common destiny in God’s eternal love. In God’s love, we can have true peace. Synodality is, interestingly, both a mission and a means to communicate God’s favour to our society and the world.
Hence, in order to carry out our synodal mission, we must first be formed into a synodal people of God. In my last Advent Pastoral Letter, I announced the need for intellectual and spiritual formation for clergy and religious, and lay people — especially for our young people. And we will still rely on small faith communities and liturgy to support our learning and realisation as a synodal people.
Large-scale formation for the “Conversation in the Spirit” adopted by the recent assembly of the Synod of Bishops will be necessary to build a listening and sharing community. We must learn to be respectful and empathic listeners, as well as sincere sharers, to build trust within the community. “Let love be sincere…. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.” (Romans 12:9, 15)
However, we can almost be certain that our opinions will not always be converging. Tensions arising from conflicting divergences should be expected. So, how do we treat these tensions?
The better way is not to handle tensions quickly or haphazardly, for the danger of compromising the weaker parties is real. More importantly, learning how to hold tensions generated by divergences, while focusing on the convergences or commonalities for helping us to move forward together is more desirable.
We are called to be synodal people and witnesses of the love of God who journeys with us. By intentionally listening with empathy as companions to those suffering from hurts and pains, disillusionment, hopelessness, and marginalisation within the Church, and by providing some form of relief, we give witness and hope to them. We know that we cannot solve their problems. But we can share with them God’s favour through our companionship and journey with them.
Finally, Pope Francis recently announced 2024 as the Year of Prayer with a focus on the “Our Father.” Its objective is to prepare for the Jubilee Year for the Pilgrims of Hope in 2025. May the kingdom of God the Father with peace, justice, and charity be a growing reality in our efforts to become a synodal people of God. And may God’s favour of the Year of Prayer be with you all!
+ Cardinal Stephen Chow, S.J.
Bishop of the Diocese of Hong Kong
Advent 2023
Daily Program
