City Planning to Serve Ordinary People or Those in Power?

City Planning to Serve Ordinary People or Those in Power?
Mary Yuen
CTEWC Forum, 1 May 2019
http://www.catholicethics.com/forum-submissions/city-planning-to-serve-ordinary-people-or-those-in-power

Keywords: city planning, development, housing problems, environmental problem, Laudato Si, political structure

Everyone wants to own a comfortable and decent home. Good city planning should aim at providing people a decent place to live in dignity, taking into consideration the impact of city planning on the future generation and the environment. In Hong Kong, due to the government policy of giving privilege to the property developers since the colonial rule period, as well as the wrong use of land and lack of long-term city planning, Hong Kong is regarded as one of the world’s least affordable property markets, leading to serious housing problems. Tens of thousands of low-income families are waiting in long queues for public rental housing and they are forced to live in super small cubical units. Some families even live in a room of less than 15 square meters.

In order to solve the land supply problem, the existing government set up a Task Force on Land Supply in September 2017, and a public consultation was conducted in April 2018 in order to arrive at a consensus on land supply measures. However, without waiting for the report from the Task Force, in the name of increasing land and housing supply in various ways and preparing for future use, Carrie Lam, the Chief Executive of Hong Kong, announced an ambitious, controversial plan of creating a new metropolis on artificial islands, known as “Lantau Tomorrow Vision” in her annual policy address in October 2018. Lam said that there is an urgent need to solve the housing problem and people cannot wait. This scheme will be the most expensive infrastructure project in Hong Kong, or one of the world’s most expensive construction projects, with an estimated cost of at least HK$624 billion (US$80 billion).

In view of this multibillion-dollar project, Hong Kong city planning scholar Mee-kam Ng raises an important question: Does city planning aim at serving those in power, and maintaining the interests of a small group of people with a grand vision and blueprint? Or is city planning really able to serve the ordinary people and solve the land problem, without destroying the ecology?

In this project, the government will build several gigantic man-made islands east and north of Lantau Island, the largest island in Hong Kong and where the Hong Kong airport is located. These huge artificial islands are envisioned to provide 1,700 hectares of land, where an estimated 260,000 to 400,000 new homes can be built to accommodate 0.7 to 1.1 million people. If everything goes smoothly, these new homes would be available by 2032. Such a plan astonished many people, especially members of the Task Force on Land Supply, as reclaiming 1,700 hectares of land was never mentioned during the public consultation.

There are a number of concerns about this project. One of the biggest concerns is the cost. Although the estimated cost is billions of dollars, the government denied it would drain the public coffers because the estimated cost averaged out to an affordable HK$50 billion annually over 15 years. However, legislator Eddie Chu argued that the estimate was misleading because it did not count in the inflated cost. Chu suggested that the final bill could be more than HK$1 trillion (US$128 billion) by the time reclamation began, that is, almost all the financial reserves of Hong Kong. Moreover, objectors also expressed concern about cost overruns, which had caused trouble to major infrastructure projects in recent years. Many wonder if it is worth investing all in one project. Is it making good use of resources?
Critics argued that other options for boosting land supply should be employed, including developing 1,300 hectares of brownfield sites, the degraded agricultural land occupied by businesses like car parks or recycling yards in the New Territories. A study by Greenpeace found that it would cost only 10 per cent of the Lantau budget to buy 800 hectares of unplanned brownfield sites. Even when the cost of relocating businesses operating on such sites or infrastructure is added, the cost would be much less. Moreover, developing these existing sites is much faster than reclaiming land. Greenpeace said by spending less money, the government could gain large tracts of land for development while solving planning problems in rural areas. This is a much better alternative. As Professor Ng points out, figures show that Hong Kong does not lack land, but there are extremely serious problems in planning and distributing land usage.

Furthermore, concerns have centered on pollution and environmental damage arising from the creation of new land. Large scale reclamation will damage the ecosystems of the sea and its surrounding areas. Residents of nearby islands and professionals worry that by creating new islands, the sea channels would be narrowed and currents would intensify, thus, waves could become higher and more powerful when strong typhoons hit. It would also affect the quality of water and the living environment of sea creatures. Moreover, reclamation requires tons of sand, imported from mainland China and other places. It would lead to an ecological crisis in these places. Looking back at the history of reclamation, Hong Kong has never tried to reclaim land from the middle of the sea like at East Lantau. This is a kind of building “out of nothing”, using a triumphalist and anthropocentric attitude to build land without caring about the side-effect and undesirable results. Do the government officials even think of the universal destination of the world’s goods and the basic human rights, that is a safe living environment, of the existing residents of the nearby islands who are ordinary people without much power? These are important Catholic principles when we evaluate any policy of development.

Global warming and climate change also matter, as indicated in the social encyclical Laudato Si. According to climatologists, if the earth's temperature rises by 2 to 4 degrees Celsius, the water level may rise by 4.7 to 8.9 meters after 200 years. How high will the East Lantau need to build in order to protect the future of this artificial island for our future generations? If we want to withstand the effects of climate change and seawater rise, it will definitely cost a lot, and there will be considerable risks. This path is impossible to solve the housing problems of Hong Kong people today. This kind of construction, which is hostile to nature, is likely to become a burden for our city in the long run. Is it responsible to use hundreds of billions of resources to destroy the marine ecology and build an artificial construction that may be ravaged by climate change? As Pope Francis put it, “what kind of world do we want to leave to those who come after us, to children who are now growing up?” (LS, #160) The notion of common good also extends to future generation. We can no longer speak of sustainable development apart from intergenerational solidarity (LS, #159). Such irresponsible and unsustainable development behavior would not be agreed to by many people, except to government officials and big construction companies.

The vision of city planning should be based on reality, the needs of people, scientific arguments, rational analysis, and care for the laws of nature through listening to viewpoints of relevant parties, especially experts in relevant fields and people who live in the city. If the Hong Kong government only seeks to increase land with its narrow vision and merely listens to those who support its policy and the business sector, lacking the vision of strategic planning and denying people’s participation in policy-making, Hong Kong is unlikely to become sustainable in the future. In fact, many believe that the force behind this project is the big Hong Kong and Chinese enterprises which have close connection with the Chinese government.

The “Lantau Tomorrow Vision” project is just one example which demonstrates the governing attitude of the government – refusing to listen to people’s opinions and concerns, and concerning more about the interest of the big business enterprises as well as the Chinese government, due to the unjust political structure of Hong Kong. The recent discussion of the extradition law which allows the government to transfer fugitives to jurisdictions the city does not now have an extradition agreement with, such as mainland China, is an example of this.

Under the existing political structure, our government leaders are not directly elected by all people. They may not feel the need to be accountable to the general public, but only to the 1,200 people appointed by the Beijing government in the small-circle election committee, in which many are from the business sector and big property developers. That is why so many Hong Kong people, especially the younger generation, have tried to strive for democracy and try to affect the policies that are related to ourselves. This can be seen through the social and democratic movements, especially the 2014 Occupy Movement/Umbrella Movement. Unfortunately and sadly, in April 2019, nine Occupy Movement leaders were all found guilty of conspiracy to cause a public nuisance and some were also convicted of one count of inciting others to commit public nuisance and/or inciting others to incite. Four of them were put in jail immediately from 8 to 16 months. But in fact, they just tried to challenge the existing political structure through an action of civil disobedience. Such a result leads to disappointment, frustration and helplessness on the part of many people, knowing there will be no big change in the near future.

In spite of this, Occupy Central co-founder Benny Tai said: “No matter what happens, I am confident that many of us will continue to strive for democracy. We will persist and will not give up.” Another co-founder Kin-man Chan said: “I still believe in the power of love and peace.”

In city planning or other policies, though there is a lack of consultation and authentic listening to the needs of people, we have to insist in expressing our opinions through various means, and never give up.

Who should decide who I am

Patriotism, to a large extent, depends on one’s sense of belonging to his/her country. The sense of patriotism heightens when people feel proud of their country or want to protect their country at a time of crisis. In Hong Kong, loving one’s country may mean loving its history, culture, tradition and/or people. However, in mainland China, loving the nation may require one to love the Communist Party and the Chinese government at the same time.

Since the changeover of Hong Kong’s sovereignty from Britain to China in 1997, the Chinese government has tried to promote the sense of patriotism among Hong Kong people. In recent years, the sense of belonging to China goes downward consistently, due to the tension between the Chinese government/ mainland Chinese and Hongkongers. Such tension comes from different values on human rights, democracy, civility as well as daily life practices and shopping behaviors. In order to enhance the sense of belonging and patriotism, a number of measures have been introduced in Hong Kong, such as making Chinese history a compulsory subject in secondary schools and the legislation of (respecting) national anthem law.

The most recent measure is the broadcasting of a speech on the role and mission of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) under the national constitution and the Basic Law, the mini-constitution of Hong Kong, by a senior mainland official in secondary schools, apart from addressing the Hong Kong top-ranking officials. In his speech, Li Fei, deputy secretary-general of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee and the HKSAR Basic Law Committee Chairman, urged Hong Kong to safeguard the nation’s sovereignty, security and development interests. He pointed out that there are three main questions that Hong Kong has to face: Where are you from? Who are you? Where are you heading to?

These three questions were raised under the assumption that China’s Central Government is the origin of the Hong Kong government and the national constitution is the root of the Hong Kong Basic Law. No matter how special Hong Kong is, Li emphasized, it is under the rule and supervision of the central leaders and the national constitution. The central administration enjoys the comprehensive ruling power.
Li highlighted that Hong Kong should not tolerate any attempts that promote separatism or jeopardize the country’s security, honor and interests. This was referring to the advocacy of Hong Kong’s independence among young people in university campus and the booing of Chinese national anthem in international football matches by some Hong Kong fans. Moreover, Li discussed Hong Kong’s responsibility to guard national development interests.
It is interesting to see that the three questions mentioned by Li are also often asked by moral theologians and virtue ethicists, though the intention and underlying assumption are very different.
Virtue ethicists view moral agents as people freely pursuing their desire for happiness in life. The moral agent, rather than moral action or its consequences, is at the center of moral reflection. They understand human agency as a means of shaping character, which is an important component of decision and action. It emphasizes a person in relationship with others through one’s character and choices. The answer to each question of the three interrelated questions—Who are we? Who ought we to become? And how do we get there?—refers to the virtues. Linking virtue ethics to social ethics would also urge us to think what constitutes a good human life that promotes common good? What virtues do we need to be just and caring? What would a person with relational and social virtues look like? How does one cultivate these relational virtues in our context?

When someone ask who are we that live in Hong Kong, we would say, we just want to be Hongkongers that can decide our own destiny, involving in the decision-making process of those policies that affect our own lives, in order to build a society with just and care.

However, for Li Fei and other leaders of the central government, their main concern is not so much about the moral agency or freedom of Hongkongers. The ruling authority is not inviting Hong Kong people to seek for our identity and explore where to go and how to get there. Rather, the ruling authority has decided the goals of Hong Kong as well as its people. The Beijing Government does not want to see any action or even thought that is not in line with them. This has been exercised explicitly through the Hong Kong government. Thus, when Hongkongers asked for democracy and political participation, they were rejected. Those who employed more radical ways were punished through harsh terms. This can be seen through the harsh punishment of some young pro-democracy activists who joined protests.

It seems that the Hong Kong/Central Government officials neglect the fact that a sense of belonging cannot be taught or imposed on, or be dictated by officials in Beijing or here in Hong Kong. Enough space should be given to Hongkongers as we search for our identity. It is impossible to allow only one way of expressing belonging or patriotism. The only way to foster understanding and respect is authentic dialogue among various parties on an equal base. Meanwhile, to nurture democratic character, practicing democracy in daily life and persistent reflection are indispensable. The words of Alex Chow, one of the student leaders being jailed may inspire us. He said after his release on bail, “Democracy will be my practice in my whole life, as a scholar or an activist, even if there will be suppression.”

This is also true among Hong Kong people who support democracy. Since the Umbrella Movement, there is a split in the pro-democratic camp on the strategy of striving for democracy and social change. On the one hand, the older generation opts for a realistic and pragmatic way of accepting the political reality. On the other hand, the younger generation chooses a more radical way of resistance in order to take charge of their destiny, opting for self-determination or even independence, though they may not achieve much at present. Some of them even have to pay a high price of being jailed.

Such difference is based on the different experiences and realities of generations, as a commentator said. There is no one absolute answer to the right way of striving for democracy and justice. More important is to maintain our ability of reflection and reasoning, willing to listen to the other side and to analyze the pros and cons of various strategies. We should bear in mind that our political stance or strategy is not the only truth and the other side may not be all wrong. Willingness to dialogue and listen is always an imperative to reconciliation in a split society.

Small-circle Election in Hong Kong

Small-circle Election in Hong Kong
Mary Mee-Yin Yuen
The First, CTEWC (April 2017)

Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor Carrie has been elected Hong Kong’s next chief executive (CE) on 26 March, 2017. However, it was not an authentic election as Lam gained only 777 votes from the 1,194-member Election Committee – around 0.03 per cent of the population – composed mostly of Beijing government’s loyalists. A former chief secretary and deputy to the existing chief executive, Lam is the fourth Hong Kong’s chief executive since the change of sovereignty from Britain to China in 1997.

Unlike democratic elections in many other countries, the Hong Kong’s chief executive election has been considered as a small circle election which involved only a very small number of people. Only some of the 240,000 people from selected sectors had votes in December last year to choose a 1,200-member election committee. The committee is composed of four main sectors with representatives from the professional sector; the industrial, commercial and financial sectors; and the social services, religious and other sectors. The fourth sector includes legislative members, District Councilors, members of the Heung Yee Kuk rural group, and Hong Kong representatives to China’s decision-making bodies. The makeup of the committee has been criticized for over-representing sectors close to Beijing, whilst under-representing sections of the populace which are more pro-democratic.

Two other candidates in the CE election are the former financial secretary Tsang Chun-wah John and retired judge Woo Kwok-hing. Although all three candidates are regarded as pro-establishment figures, it is widely believed that Beijing government has its own choice before the election.

The State Council’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office said the election had been “open, fair and orderly”, and that Lam “fitted” Beijing’s requirements for a chief executive. However, Lam was heavily rumored to be Beijing’s favored candidate over the past two months before the election though she was behind in public popularity polls. Some electors claimed that before election day they were pressured by the Hong Kong-based Chinese liasion office to vote for her.
Critics called the election result “a defeat of the people’s majority views.” Tsang was popular among the public for his more successful public relations campaign and his image of inclusivity. In spite of the small-circle election, Tsang did not merely appeal to the members of the Election Committee, he also appealed to other Hong Kong people through offering the vision of unity, trust and hope, attempting to gain popular support. Many people think that he can bring reconciliation in a splited society though they may not fully support his policy platform. This brought a new experience and standard of election campaign to Hong Kong people, in spite of the small-circle election nature. However, Tsang was said to have lacked the central government’s full trust despite his high public popularity, thus, he could not gain much support from the pro-establishment camp in the Election Committee. The election result shows the gap between the choice of Hong Kong people and members of the Election Committee, reflecting the absurdity and ridiculous of the small-circle election.

The Civil Human Rights Front, a non-governmental organization organised a rally to protest on the day before the election against Hong Kong’s small-circle leadership race. They claimed that Beijing blatantly meddled in the election. The group calls for full democracy and genuine universal suffrage.
This election is the first CE election after the Occupy Movement in 2014. On 31 August, 2014, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress passed a decision that the chief executive in 2017 can be elected by one-person-one-vote, but only after a “broadly representative” nomination committee. The decision triggered a week-long class boycott, which developed into the 79-day Occupy protests demanding fully democratic elections.

This election was expected by some people to be a chance of healing the wounds of Hong Kong created in the past five-year rule of the existing chief executive C.Y. Leung and the rift among people after the Occupy protest or the so-called Umbrella Revolution. Lam is seen as inheriting the ruling strategy of Leung whereas Tsang is regarded as a person who can bring reconciliation and dialogue among people of different political stances. However, the election result brought disappointment to many people.

In the Catholic social tradition, democracy and equal political participation are highly valued and small-circle election is not preferred. In the social encyclical Centesimus Annus, Pope John Paul II highlights that, “The Church values the democratic system inasmuch as it ensures the participation of citizens in making political choices, guarantees to the governed the possibility both of electing and holding accountable those who govern them, and of replacing them through peaceful means when appropriate. Thus she cannot encourage the formation of narrow ruling groups which usurp the power of the State for individual interests or for ideological ends (no. 46).”
Therefore, Hong Kong people should insist on the goal of striking for authentic universal suffrage and continue to cultivate a culture of democracy with relational virtues although we know that the road to democracy is a long and winding one. We must not lost hope in spite of the dim light in front of us. We need wisdom to discern how to move forward.

With low popularity, Lam has to face questions over her governance and the many challenges for the coming five years – from the rising tide of anti-mainland sentiments to skyrocketing property prices and political tensions.
It is interesting to note that Lam, as a Catholic, claimed that she stood for election because of calling from God. Although Lam was seen as a person under Beijing’s or pro-Beijing’s control, during the election campaign, she insisted that she was willing to listen to people’s opinions and became more humble. When the result of her winning came out, she said that she would try her best to unite people of various political standpoints, mending the rift and disentangling the frustration of Hong Kong people. I hope that she would keep her promise and uphold the Catholic values of common good, solidarity and subsidiarity as they are imperative in building a good society.

Internet for Communication or Persecution?

CTEWC Forum (January 2016)

The invention of internet and smart phone affects tremendously our daily lives, especially to those who live in city. Many internet users see the internet as a global community without borders, a space for free exchange of ideas and dissemination of news or information. Whereas many others think that internet will make entertainment and shopping much more convenient, thus, a chance of expansion of mobile e-commerce and market expansion of online shopping.

China owns the world’s largest online citizenry — about 668 million strong, with most of them using smart phone. The total internet penetration rate was 48.8 per cent across mainland China, according to the official China Internet Network Information Centre. As in the rest of the world, young people account for a majority of internet users. People between ten and thirty years of age make up 55.2 percent of the online population in China.

However, China has been criticized for its strict internet regulations where it blocks major sites and censors posts. Not only do Chinese technological companies spend huge amount in developing an all-encompassing network of monitoring, thus, restricting Chinese people from accessing certain websites, including facebook and many Church organizations. It is not uncommon that some sensitive words, such as June 4 or human rights fail to appear. Moreover, posts on internet have been used as tools and evidence to persecute dissidents. In a nationwide crackdown on online rumours launched in the summer of 2013, hundreds of internet users were punished and some detained for disseminating “rumours” on the internet. Several influential online bloggers were convicted on various charges, including “picking quarrels and provoking trouble”, which effectively silenced many others.

One recent example is the arrest and detention of human rights lawyer Pu Zhiqiang who has been charged with “inciting ethnic hatred” and “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” by writing microblog (or weibo), commentaries critical of the Communist Party. Pu was arrested and detained for 19 months, before he was put to trial in court in mid-December 2015. He faces a maximum sentence of eight years. Pu’s ordeal is widely seen as a political case to silence him and to warn other rights advocates against speaking up. Pu’s associates say his sharp criticisms of the government, his representations of many high-profile rights cases (including artist Ai Weiwei), his advocacy of scrapping the country’s labour camp system, and his popularity in the Chinese media has rendered him a threat in the eyes of the authorities.

It is ironic that in more or less the same time of Pu’s trial, a World Internet Conference sponsored by Beijing was held in Zhejiang province of China. Guests from various countries, including the head of facebook were invited. Speaking at the conference, China's President Xi Jinping has called on countries to respect one another’s “cyber sovereignty” and different internet governance models. Mr Xi said countries had the right to choose how to develop and regulate their internet.

In the view of the above, it reminds me that the Church has a two-fold aim in regard to the media. One aspect is to encourage their right development and right use for the sake of human development, justice, and peace—for the upbuilding of society at the local, national, and community levels in light of the common good and in a spirit of solidarity. Thus, the Church seeks honest and respectful dialogue with those responsible for the communications media—a dialogue that relates primarily to the shaping of media policy. In this way, it becomes possible for the Church to offer meaningful proposals for removing obstacles to human progress and the proclamation of the Gospel. Besides, the Church's concern also relates to communication in and by the Church herself. Communication is of the essence of the Church. The Church's practice of communication should be exemplary, reflecting the highest standards of truthfulness, accountability, sensitivity to human rights, and other relevant principles and norms. (see Pontifical Council for Social Communications, “The Church and Internet,” no.3)

Therefore, internet should be used as a means to promote communication and human development rather than a tool to regulate people’ ideas and thought. Internet should never be twisted as an instrument to persecute those who advocate human rights and help the marginalized to seek for justice.

柬埔寨之旅的反思

我們從他蒙受了這命令：那愛天主的，也該愛自己的弟兄姊妹。(若一4:21)

天主是愛、以愛還愛，是每位信徒都知道的道理。但知易行難，只有當我們在親身經驗過天主的愛被主轉化後，並願意以具體行動愛自己的弟兄姊妹，才算真正的實踐以愛還愛。而那些只是口裡說愛天主，卻對四周的人漠不關心，或對那些被忽略、被歧視、被壓迫的人視若無睹，甚至認為他們不值得愛，則算不上愛天主。

剛從柬埔寨回來，探訪了在當地服務的香港教友傳教士，以及她們服務的學校、殘障人士康復中心、艇戶和堂區等。聽到教友傳教士的信仰和經驗分享，看到她們在工作地方與同工和服務對象的密切關係，明白和初步體驗到她們的簡單但豐盛的生活，讓我感受到她們真的是在回應天主的愛，以愛還愛。

其中一位已服務近二十年的教友傳教士，甘願放下香港較為安穩的生活，遠赴他方，為較貧窮地區的兄弟姊妹服務，訓練當地教師，希望透過教育為人民帶來希望。另一位教友傳教士任職業治療師，則在柬埔寨的康復中心服務，筆者在探訪其中一間中心時，接觸了一些能力較弱的小孩和行動不便的青年，瞭解到他們的身體狀況、家庭背景和需要的訓練，而傳教士在訓練服務對象之餘，亦探訪他們的家庭和訓練當地的工作人員，希望透過發掘和提高這些小孩和青年的能力，讓他們肯定自已，懂得照顧自己。

教友傳教士明到自己能改變大環境很有限，不少地方仍長期處於貧窮狀態。但她們不看輕自己的貢獻，願意臨在於當地人民當中，陪伴有需要的人，盡一分力為柬埔寨人民，特別是兒童，帶來希望。她們的委身讓我深深感動，從她們身上看到耶穌的臉容，以及從她們服務的兒童和青年身上認出耶穌，所以，服務這些人士正是為主而做。

這些教友傳教士的海外傳信服務固然令人欣賞敬佩，但我們不必去到海外也可以服務他人，愛自己的弟兄姊妹。在日常生活中或在香港社會中，我們亦可發揮基督徒愛人的精神。只要我們對人仍有感覺，對弱小者不再漠不關心，不把欺凌和壓迫視若無睹，對不正常狀況視作理所當然，則可發現仍有不少機會可表達對姊妹弟兄以至對天主的愛。要有這種感覺，在接觸貧窮弱小者的同時，必須恆常祈禱默想，與天主保持親密關係，聆聽天主對自己的召叫和使命。

聆聽她們的聲音

　　每年的三月八日，世界各地都有慶祝國際婦女節的活動，一方面慶祝女性已取得的成就，另一方面繼續爭取兩性平權和維護應有的尊嚴。

　　無可否認，相比從前，女性的社會地位、接受教育機會和工作晉升機會都大大提高。然而，一些亞洲國家如巴基斯坦和印度，不少女童仍因物質匱乏及宗教文化束縛而未能接受基本教育，女性更常受性暴力的威脅，例如諾貝爾和平獎得主馬拉拉曾因上學而被宗教極端組織成員槍擊，印度更成為最頻繁發生強姦案的地方之一，這與某些傳統中女性不被尊重不無關係。即使在較先進地方，一些女性亦因傳統角色定型而受限制。

　　要徹底改變女性不被尊重的文化和達至兩性平等並不容易。對教會來說，既要在社會中為女性提供多元服務和機會，讓女性充權，提高她們的能力；亦要勇於就教會內外的父權文化作出反省和提出改變，給予女性作更多機會在各方面和不同層次參與。就前者，多年來透過辦學和提供醫療服務社會福利，教會作了不少貢獻；至於後者則仍需努力。

自教宗方濟上任以來，透過發言和行動，他間接和直接地就改善女性的地位和角色作出不少措舉。雖然他不同意教會內的女權人士所倡議的女性晉鐸主張，但他委任了多些女性在教廷內的重要位置服務。例如，擔任教會訓導當局神學顧問的國際神學委員會的女性成員，由原本的兩位增至四位。因時代轉變，教宗又呼籲神學家應更深入探討女性神學，而羅馬觀察報隨之開設專欄，邀請男女神學家撰文反省該主題。此外，有神學家指出，教宗以言以行關愛貧窮和邊緣社群、挑戰現代經濟制度引發的不公義，以具體方式關心在生活中被剝削和壓迫的女性。這些建議和行動，對增強女性在教會的參與和改善女性的社會生活的成效仍有待驗證，但教宗的善意卻是無容置疑。

　　在這種氛圍下，宗座文化委員會在二月初於羅馬舉行會議，專題探討女性在教會的角色。會議舉行前，委員會公佈了一份諮詢文件，並拍了一段短片，呼籲婦女們自拍一分鐘影片分享意見和心聲，希望借此多瞭解女性。本來是良好的意願，卻招來不少英語世界的女性主義學者和教友批評。他們指自拍的方法不切實際，因不少婦女無能力和時間拍攝，而短片表達手法亦難引起共鳴，文件內容亦反映對女性的處境認知不足。

　　或許有些人覺得這些女性主義者吹毛求疵，但他們的見解卻某程度上反映以男性為主的教會領導層或許真的未能掌握女性面對的問題和挑戰，有需要更主動接觸不同階層和背景的女性，聆聽她們的聲音。四旬期是反省、認罪、悔改的時候，就讓教會上下一同謙卑地辨別我們可以如何更好地尊重女性的尊嚴和擴闊女性的參與。

香港市民對民主的覺醒

過去幾個星期，幾十萬香港市民走上街頭示威要求民主，其間警察使用催淚瓦斯令世界震驚。從九月下旬學生罷課，到聚合在政府總部外的群眾集會，以至警方使用催淚瓦斯，促使事件升級為「佔領 」運動，及後示威者面對警方使用過份暴力仍頑強抵抗，無懼暴力。這些事實，在在顯示了爭取民主人士以及「佔中」支持者的剛毅鬥志。這樣規模和形式的社會運動，可說是香港近三十年來所未見。當中涉及的問題，不僅是法律（憲法）與政治，更是道德與倫理範疇。

整個民主運動由專上學生為期一周的罷課揭開序幕，罷課由香港專上學生聯會（學聯）發起，以示對於中國人民代表大會（即中國國會）常務委員會關於香港的選舉改革決定的極度不滿。人大的決定，意味著只有北京授意的候選人才可以角逐香港行政長官的職務；這會通過小圈子式的選舉委員會進行，而只有這個由北京政府委任的委員會成員才可以提名行政長官候選人。不過，一如大多數香港人，學聯堅持香港實行「一國兩制」和高度自治。學生們要求一個選舉制度，能夠反映真正的民主，好使市民不僅投票選出北京授意的行政長官，還可以參與提名候選人。

在9月22日罷課首天，全港有一萬三千名大學生集中於香港中文大學，顯示學生決心爭取真正的民主，支持運動的人數，遠超出各方預期的數目。接著，由中學生組成的團體「學民思潮」發動了中學生的一天罷課。學生罷課，被視為是更大規模民主運動的前奏，因為全民的「佔領中環」運動已經計劃在10月1日展開，它以愛與和平為指導原則，堵塞中環金融區的路面，作為「公民抗命」行動。

起初，預計參與佔領運動的人數不多，但幾宗事件導致大批市民上街示威。第一輪大規模抗議的觸發點，是17歲的學生領袖黃之鋒和另外兩大名學生領袖被無理拘留，他們在9月26日企圖突破官方防線以奪回被關閉的「公民廣場」，一個設於政府總部門前原本讓公眾集會的空地，在最近幾個月因保安理由被關閉。約30名學生被逮捕，隨後全部被釋放，除了該三名學生領袖。幾千名市民出於保護青年學生，聞訊後趕到政府總部支援學生，要求警方釋放學生。因此，這兩個學生團體發揮了支持民主運動的關鍵作用。

第二宗事件是在9月28日警方向手無寸鐵的示威者發射催淚彈，以驅散聚集在街上的人群。警方聲稱，他們發射了87枚催淚煙罐。這導致公眾譁然，對警方和政府使用過度武力感到憤怒。很多人基於憤怒和正義感加入了抗議行列，從而發展成全民性的佔領運動，被西方媒體稱為「雨傘革命」。自此，雨傘成為抗爭的標記，因為示威者用雨傘抵擋警方的胡椒噴霧。香港人比較喜歡「雨傘運動」一詞，因為「革命」含有推翻現有執政政府的意思，但是，這不是示威者的目標。再者，「革命」在北京政府眼中是一個極為敏感的詞彙。

隨著民主運動的發展，在十月一日國慶假期以後，人們也開始回覆日常上班和上學。然而，暴力事件在其中一個佔領區旺角爆發。警方拒絕保護示威者，事件促使更多人回來各佔領區。在被視為品流複雜的旺角區，有惡霸肆意破壞示威者的物品、毆打示威者、甚至非禮女示威者；不過，也有惡霸挺身保護在場佔領的示威者。警方被責難縱容黑勢力欺負在佔領地區的示威者，這又點燃了公眾對政府的不滿。十月四日，十萬人聚集在最大的佔領區金鐘政府總部外一帶，參加反暴力集會。

面對如此嚴峻的局勢，學生領袖們要求與香港政府官員對話。然而，政府堅持要有預設條件方可對話，就是要按照中國人民代表大會常務委員會關於選舉改革的決定必須堅持；這內容不被學生所接受。後來，學生領袖和佔領示威者考慮到部分市民要求重開佔領區，他們向政府要求重開「公民廣場」，以換取重開佔領區一條主要幹道金鐘道的條件。再次，政府迅速拒絕學生們提出的條件，顯示政府欠缺聆聽示威者意見及與市民溝通的誠意，遑論主動向示威者提出談判。
　
所有這些近期浮現的因素，促成了目前的局面，越來越多市民加入或支持佔領運動。與此同時，也有市民響應「反對佔領中環運動」，迫使整個社會邁向二分的撕裂狀態。

在這些近期因素背後，蘊藏了長期的問題，結果促成這次民主運動。普選和真正民主被視為運動背後的工具。運動的終極目標是建立一個公平、公正的制度，讓每個人都可以有尊嚴地享受他或她的基本權利。長期以來，香港面對很多問題，如：貧富懸殊、住屋價格高企，已經造成社會和經濟沉重的壓力，為廣大的中下階層市民帶來困苦；房地產開發商卡特爾霸權增加社會和經濟不公；地產商及與他有關的專業人士，在立法會及選舉委員會有權選舉行政長官，使社會政策對既得利益者傾斜。現時的示威者要求真正的民主選舉行政長官和立法會全部議員的需求，正是確保政治架構能夠反映各階級人士的利益，而不僅是特權階級的利益。此外，在香港推行國民教育、電視牌照發放事件、不斷增加的中國大陸遊客和大陸移民等議題，都造成社會怨氣。加上有腐敗的高級官員被揭發，市民對政府怨聲載道。只要細心聆聽佔領者和支持者的個人經歷和意見，都可以在各佔領區中聽到這些不滿聲音。

因此，基於上述直接或隱藏的原因，示威者提出下列要求：政府重新啟動政治改革的諮詢，並向北京政府就政改提供補充報告；政府就使用催淚彈和過份武力道歉；重新開放遭關閉的公民廣場，好讓人們在這個公共場所表達意見；政府官員犯錯時必須問責承擔責任。倘若政府拒絕以上所有這些涉及政治、管治、道德等問題的要求，這危機實難以化解。即使政府最終選擇使用暴力手段來終止這場運動，佔領人士定必捲土重來，以求繼續爭取民主，而社會紛爭必會持續，社會不能達至真正和平。

在這場運動中，在在顯示青年和佔領者的決心。他們不輕言退出，因為他們不希望未來的政治領袖再次成為北京政府的傀儡，更不願意見到香港僅僅變為另一個中國城市。他們認為香港人不能沒有自己的身份；他們珍惜的是香港的核心價值。年輕人願意走上街頭示威，為的是爭取整代人的未來；而年長一輩也為了子孫爭取未來。

作為香港的基督徒，我認為天主教社會訓導的幾個概念，可以幫助我們反省香港的民主運動和現況：

1. 良知和公民抗命。有些人批評佔領者違法，非法佔據公共道路。這是事實，佔用公共道路的行為是非法的，佔領者可能被檢控，需要承擔法律責任。事實上，從一開始，「佔中運動」和學生已經宣稱他們的行動是基於公民抗命的原則。他們明白自己的行為可能會賠上沉重代價，但他們仍然打算挑戰不公義的政策和制度，希望能喚醒香港人的民主意識。他們願意承擔責任，甚至犧牲自己的前途。

在天主教社會訓導中，梵二大公會議文件指出，「假使政府擅自越權、欺壓國民，國民不應拒絕實踐為促進公共福利所應做的種種。但他們可以保衛自身及其他國民的權利，免受政府濫用權力的危害。不過，應尊重自然法及福音原則所劃定的界限（Gaudium，第74號）。《天主教教理》闡述，「若執政當局發出的指令違反道德秩序的要求、人的基本權利、或福音的教導，公民依照良心有責任不予順從。若執政當局的要求違反正直的良心，則在服務天主與服務政治團體的區分上，得到拒絕服從政府的理由」（＃2242）。在天主教的傳統，良心是指「理性的一個判斷，藉此人可以對一個將要做的具體行為，正在做的行為，或已經完成的行為，認出其道德的品質。人無論講甚麼，做甚麼，必須忠實地依照他所確知為公正的和正直的去講去做。」（《天主教教理》，第１７７８號）

良心促使人為所作的行為承擔責任。人性的尊嚴指向和要求道德良知的正直。我相信大部分的示威者和佔領者明白他們正在爭取的是什麼樣價值。他們希望按照自己的良心，維護正義、平等、法治的價值。他們認為不是所有法律和制度皆公義，因而需要改變。他們相信自己有責任，也有能力改變社會，令香港成為一個更好的地方。由於在過去，許多學生和佔領者已採用各種方法爭取民主，但均無功而回，因而認為現在必須採取一些比較前衛或激進的方式爭取。

２. 社會公益。雖然不少香港人皆支持民主，但不是每個人都同意採用公民抗命作為策略手段爭取民主和正義。隨著佔領運動的僵局持續，甚至有人批評封鎖道路已經嚴重影響著人們的日常生活，店舖生意和日薪工人的生計。有些市民不滿往返學校或工作地點都增加了時間和麻煩。無可否認，佔領運動帶來了不便，但是仍然有很多人堅定支持學生和示威者。這是因為支持者了解和明白到，學生和示威者爭取的是為整個社會的公益，而不是為了個人利益。示威者犧牲其日常生活，日以繼夜留守在佔領區，期望政府聆聽和回應他們的訴求。他們深信，真正的民主制度可以糾正一些現存的不公義現象，包括制度和運作上有利於特權階級而忽略了弱小和邊緣社群的不平衡政治結構。

在天主教的傳統，社會公益是社會訓導中的一個重要主題，作為社會的目標和前景。通過共同的利益，可以理解為「讓私人及團體可以充份而便利地玉成自身的社會生活條件的總和」（論教會在現代世界牧職憲章，＃26）。公共利益涉及所有人的生命。它首先必須尊重個人，而公共當局具更大責任尊重人的基本和不可剝奪的權利。它要求社會福利和社會發展作為一個整體，而不是只有某些群體享有特權。它還需要和平，由公正秩序產生的穩定性和安全性所做成。然而，和平並不是指表面的和平，而是賦有正義的和平。

基於這一原則，佔領運動背後的社會願景和精神，應該受到欣賞，儘管不是人人都同意使用這策略。然而，由於佔領了多條繁忙的交通幹道引起不少投訴，佔領者應該認真考慮如何實現自己的目標，而又不會影響大眾的日常生活，以免失去了廣大市民的支持和諒解。而政府亦有責任與學生對話，切實認真處理示威者的訴求，與學生和佔領者磋商。

4. 愛與團結關懷。在天主教的社會訓導中，團結關懷為這個相互依存的世界提供了指導原則，讓基督徒與他人保持聯繫溝通，因為它結合愛與正義的元素。團結關懷是表示願意在世界中和在人群之中生活，體驗窮人的貧困，與受苦者在一起，為不公義者抱不平發聲，支持那些受到壓迫的人，向俘虜宣揚自由等等。團結關懷必須在人與人之間，以至專業、階層、社群和國家之間實行。這意味著人願意把自己奉獻，為著鄰人的益處而做，超越任何個人或某種利益而為之。

一些參與這個運動的年輕佔領者，不獲得父母的支持，因而面對巨大壓力。但是他們想告訴父母，他們參加運動，是基於愛和正義，他們熱愛社會和人民，希望建立公義的社會。「佔中運動」一直強調愛與和平，堅守不得使用暴力手段來實現目標的原則。一如耶穌會前總會長歐魯伯神父（Pedro Arrupe）說：「要履行公義，僅僅是不幹不公義的事是不夠的。必須走前一步，拒絕其遊戲規則，以愛取代為自身利益，作為社會的驅動力。」

在支持者之中，很多人是受到青年學生和示威者的決心、紀律和團結精神所感動而自發參加。如果你在佔領範圍走一圈，你會看到年輕人來回走動、分發食物和飲料給在場的示威人士。在形勢緊張的時候，他們分發口罩、保鮮紙和雨傘避免胡椒噴霧及催淚彈。他們還撿拾垃圾及分類整理回收物。下了班的醫生、護士和聖約翰救傷隊及紅十字會的義工（志願者）以個人身份來幫忙駐守醫療站。學生和支持民主的示威者創建了一個清潔、安全和有秩序的抗議營地。我們看到，佔領者或示威者守望相助和互相聲援。他們讓自己平靜祥和，經常提醒「避免以肢體對抗、避免開發仇恨」。當「反對佔領者」前來擾亂示威者時，示威者唱歌或高叫「保持冷靜、克制」的口號，平復那些緊張時刻。同時，除了抗議行動，在日常生活中佔據的地方，參與示威或罷課的學生及市民繼續學習和閱讀、參加論壇、聽講座、管理公共區域、分享故事等。它已經成為了另類的社區，彰顯愛和團結關懷的精神。

5. 對話。在亞洲教會訓導中，對話往往是指向與其他宗教、文化和窮人的對話。對話在相互理解上很重要，它必須以平等的基礎作溝通，具誠意聆聽對方的聲音，然後讓自己作出轉化。對話表明雙方願意通過和平方式解決分歧和僵局。基於這原則，在目前情況下，示威者與政府之間的對話是必要的。任何來自警方、政府和示威者的暴力行為都應避免。

在過去幾個星期中，雙方均聲稱，對方堅持自己的立場不願妥協。香港的行政長官梁振英、政府官員和警方措詞強硬地宣布，決心採取措施對付那些設置路障的示威者。一些示威者亦堅持表示，他們不會從被佔領的地區撤出。在政改立場上，雙方亦顯得堅持自己的立場。過去，雖然雙方本來準備對話，但是會前被雙方宣佈取消。最近，面對現時情況，學生示威者多次表示，他們願意與政府對話。他們釋出誠意，開放通道讓公務員可以到政府總部上班，以及一段電車路段給公眾使用。最近，有消息指會有人充當調解人，促成雙方對話。我希望這對話在雙方以真誠態度進行，打開政治僵局，最終為社會帶來和平，而不是更多的衝突。

佔領運動每一天都有新發展，最近又有新的暴力事件和衝突。現在已經與早期的階段不同，今天運動已經在市內幾個地方進行，佔領者自發走到街頭，基本上他們不隸屬兩個學生組織或者原「佔中運動」發起人團隊。有示威者宣稱，這三組織不能代表他們，他們是自發示威的。這可能會使得達成共識增添障礙，但是也為民主路鼓勵創意發展。這場民主運動的結果是很難預測的，視乎雙方對解決問題的善意。但可以肯定的是，這一代的年輕人已親身體驗了民主運動，已經變得更加成熟，深深明白自己所追尋的價值是什麼，定必將民主精神延續在生活中及社區中。當我看見年輕一代願意為社會變得更美好而委身、具獨立和批判思考能力，以及富有犧牲精神，我感到香港仍充滿希望。
　

十本在我的人生中有影響力的書

1. 三毛的《撒哈拉沙漠》 (中學有錢買書時最早期付錢買的其中一本, 年少時很嚮往這種流浪和旅居異地的生活, 自此便看了很多三毛的書)

2.《天地一沙鷗》Jonathan Livingstone Seagull (青少年成長階段看, 講述成長、追求理想的熱情,以及與其他沙鷗和環境的關係)

3. 小王子The Little Prince (自中學至今看過好幾次,在不同時期看有不同的反省和體會)

4. 劉賓雁的《第二種忠誠》 (讀大專時開始留意中國時事和近代史, 這本書除了讓我認識到中國的社會狀況外, 亦讓我意識到我們每個人都可以獨立思考分析國情)

5. 董啟章的《雙身》 (我欣賞的香港本地文學家之一, 初看有卡夫卡變形記的感覺, 但它以小說形式探討性別和身份的問題,富創意又具批判性)

6. Beyond Patching by Sandra Schneiders (在女協讀書小組與組員認真閱讀和反思的一本女性主義神學入門著作)

7. Freedom From Fear by Aung San Su Ki (包括昂山素姫的生平及她的重要演講, 在九十年代我參與正義和平工作的初期看, 對我在參與人權教育和倡議工作上有深遠影響)

8. Living in Truth by Vaclav Havel (曾活在極權國家的劇作家所寫的文章, 對生活在香港的我們仍甚有啟發)

9. 和平之路Road to Peace, and浪子回頭The Pordigal Son by Henry Nouwen (盧雲是我喜愛的靈修作者之一。這兩本對我影響尤深, 一本有關對社會正義的追求, 另一本是道出人性的最軟弱之處及上主對人的不離不棄)

10.練金術士The Alchemist by Paulo Coelo (在決定往外地升學前看,對追求人生目標和理想的人很有啟發。另一本很值得一看的是The Fifth Mountain)

P.S. 突破雜誌及探討信仰與人生的突破叢書 是我高中時期開始思考人生問題及信仰問題時的重要讀物)

幸福與基督徒倫理生活

書評：幸福與基督徒倫理生活
Paul Wadell, Happiness and the Christian Moral Life (Plymouth, UK: Rowman and Littlefield, 2012).

基督徒倫理，尤其是教會訓導，往往以律法和原則的方式表達出來。姑勿論一條法律或原則背後的原意是多麼良好，例如愛或正義的原則，若只透過理性的角度著眼，未必能夠徹底轉化一個人。很多時，我們明明知道信仰在倫理原則方面對我們的要求，但當這些法律或原則加諸在我們身上時，它們卻偏偏未能說服我們作出相應行動，皆因我們仍未願意投入委身。而且，過於訴諸法律給人一種不近人情的感覺。面對這種境況，美國倫理神學家華迪爾在他的最新著作＜幸福與基督徒倫理生活：基督徒倫理入門＞（增訂版）中指出，除了法律和原則，基督徒倫理的核心是引領信徒過美好和幸福快樂的生活；他採用的是以德行倫理的方法去轉化基督徒。

何謂美好和幸福快樂的生活呢？華迪爾認為，幸福快樂的生活不可簡化為只為滿足我們的欲求和快感。我們必須學習什麼才是最好的需要和慾望、什麼因素令人達至優秀完善。有時候，在不幸和困苦中，我們會得到更實在和長久的快樂。正如亞理士多德和亞奎納所言，幸福快樂建基於美善、具德行的生活，以及與天主建立友誼。倫理學和倫理神學是要探討如何好好作出計劃，善渡一生，懂得分辨明智與不智的決定；如何在一種有助我們盡可能發揮濳能的美好生活中成長，怎樣的培育或訓練可達到這目標。這亦是本書的主題。

＜幸福與基督徒倫理生活＞（增訂版）全書分為十章。首兩章除了點出了上述主要論點外，華迪爾還強調幸福快樂來自天主，是天主主動給予每一個人的禮物，而非自己製造的。透過追隨耶穌基督，我們學習幸福快樂的真正意義，並在生活中加以深化，特別是在團體生活中。基督徒的生活就是回應天主的這份恩寵和愛，與天主建立關係和友誼。往後的數章，華迪爾討論了幸福快樂生活的重要元素，包括能鞏固幸福生活和避免在尋求過程中被擊倒的性情和德行；給予我們目標、方向和塑造我們的世界觀的故事，特別是耶穌一生的故事；讓我們明白「我是誰」的基督宗教人觀；什麼是真正引領我們向善的自由和錯誤運用自由所導致的罪過；有助我們做正確決定、步向仁愛美善的「良心」和配合訴諸於行動的德行「明智」。最後，作者探討基督徒倫理生活不能或缺的德行──愛和正義。

致力推動德行倫理的華迪爾認為，培養德行、完善一個人的人格，比訴諸於法律和懲罰在倫理生活的陶成更重要和更有效。他列舉及闡釋了一些在基督信仰中引領人朝向幸福美好生活的德行，例如慷慨寬大、謹慎明智、忠誠勇敢、仁愛慈悲和正義等。培養這些德行要求我們能夠從另一角度觀察、思考和想像。例如正義，除了用作原則或規範來檢視或判斷行為或社會制度外，亦可視為德行。把正義視為德行，它會改變我們的生活方式，改變我們對世界的看法，並願意跳出我們的慣常生活圈子去接觸社會上被忽略和遺棄的人士。這些經驗不但質疑我們的既有態度和視野，還反映它們的不足，使我們重新反省自己的生活方式如何導致其他人的貧困，又或世界上仍有很多人未能享有如我們所擁有的生活，從而重新肯定每一個人的尊嚴和自己對其他人的責任。　

有些人或會認為華迪爾的德行倫理方法太樂觀，現世中的黑暗勢力比我們想像中巨大得多，只強調培養人美好的一面並不能夠克服罪惡力量。這觀點有一定的道理，而且面對社會問題更不可單靠強化個人德行。事實上，華迪爾亦深深明白社會性罪惡的存在。雖然如此，他堅信基督徒追求美好幸福的重要。因著我們在社會中是互相依存的，我們有責任令社會上其他人京生活在一個更美善的環境中。他亦明白無論在家庭、工作和社會生活中，都需要學習榜樣，更需要團體支持，以培養出良好德行和人格，並在困境中能堅守信念、克服困難和挑戰。而耶穌基督的一生正可給予基督徒最佳的示範作用和轉化力量。

重視婦女角色

教宗方濟各三月的祈禱總意向是「願所有文化都能尊重婦女的權利和尊嚴」，這不禁讓人想到：現今社會能否真的已達到兩性互補和互相尊重？世界各地的婦女是否在實踐社會角色上享有同等參與的機會和分享社會成果？

當中，在香港和世界各地，女性在工作中的待遇、外籍家庭傭工的處境，以至低收入新移民婦女在融入社區的程度等事例，都值得我們反省女性是否被忽略和歧視。　

同樣，在教會內，不少女士和男士也會問，今日教會中的兩性關係是否符合最初天主創造時的美好和諧關係？女性是否得到公義和關懷的對待？教會（包括我們自己）是否支持婦女應有權利，讓女性活出真我？　

受到社會文化的影響，昔日的教會也沾染上傳統父權思想，充斥男性主導的意識。隨著社會上愈來愈多聲音，系統地批評社會文化和宗教中的性別主義，加上六十年代梵二的教會改革和神學思想更新，教會領袖看到當時的時代徵兆。他們明確指出人是天主的肖像，應享有平等尊嚴和權利。最近，教宗方濟各亦重申女性對社會、家庭和教會的貢獻。

亞洲教會領袖多次呼籲，應加強對婦女關懷意識的醒覺。亞洲主教認為，「亞洲的教會應具體而有效地維護女性的尊嚴與自由……給婦女提供更大的機會，讓她們能在愛與服務的使命中臨在和行動」（《教會在亞洲》宗座勸諭#34）。

地方教會中，以香港為例，愈來愈多女信徒能參與教會事務，扮演積極角色，協助教會在教育、神學教育、訓練傳道員、社會福利、正義和平事工等領域作策劃和領導工作。這些都是可喜的現象，在肯定女性角色之餘，亦參與釋放其他女性。部份女教友在反省個人經驗後，認為理論與現實仍有很大距離；女教友在人數上無疑屬大多數，但在教會事務決策方面卻顯得不足，在發揮男女互補、合作伙伴式的服務教會的機會尚有距離。

現在已踏入四旬期，是懺悔、反省和更新的時候。教會上下應謙卑反省自己可在哪方面多作努力？

(原刊於公教報)

從女性主義解放神學角度看信仰與正義

(原刊於<神思>神學期刊 2009年,第82期)
阮美賢

一．引言

在天主教信仰中，正義可分為內在正義與外在正義。內在正義關乎個人與天主的關係、透過耶穌基督的救贖行動使人和天主重新建立和好的關係，以及天主在人身上的工作。外在正義則涉及人的善功，以及人對天主恩寵的回應。內在正義主要關於「全心、全靈、全意愛你的天主」這誡命（瑪廿二 37-38），外在正義則有關「愛你的近人如同愛你自己」這誡命（瑪廿二39）。可以說，正義是透過人性化的行動尋求與天主、自己、社群、社會結構和環境的正確關係。這種對正義的理解正是人的社會責任的基礎。可是，由於罪惡破壞了原先天主創造時的美好和諧關係，導致社會失序及不正義的存在，因而要在各層面重建和好關係。愛近人的誡命驅使我們作為基督徒認真去檢視教會如何對待女性、如何回應對女性不公義的習性、文化思想和制度。

在不同的歷史階段中，對佔了世界一半人口的女性排斥、忽略、歧視和壓迫，正是破壞了天主創造世界時的美好關係的證據。如世俗社會般，教會建制在過去曾是歧視女性的一份子，在有意或無意間不重視甚至不尊重女性。到了二十世紀六十年代，社會經歷了一場聲勢浩大的婦女運動，對教會拷響了警號，教會領袖和牧者亦深受影響，我們的神學和基督徒生活是否因而步向兩性平等？女信眾是否能在自由和恩寵中回應上主的召叫，以及社會和教會的需要？

雖然在教會中，特別在華人教會中，一般對女性主義有所忌諱，認為是激進思想，企圖顛覆教會的傳統。然而，女性主義和與之有密切關係的女性主義神學（或稱女性神學或婦女神學）有很多流派，有激進亦有溫和改革，有主張分離主義亦有主張對話交流。但它們有著共同點，就是主張男女平權及改善女性的社會地位，從而令女性可活出真我，亦可與男性合作共建更人性化和公義的社會，所以原意可以說是良好的。因此，本文會採用女性主義解放神學的一些原則去討論信仰與公義的問題。

　　可能有人會指，女性主義是西方產物，而女性主義神學亦源自西方，所以並不一定適合其他地方，如亞洲或華人社會。雖然最早以女性主義神學名義發展神學思想的神學家的確來自歐美等西方國家，但被視為解放神學的其中一個主要流派的女性主義神學，很快便陸續在發展中地區及邊緣社群中蓬勃發展，包括亞洲、拉丁美洲、非洲矞美國人等，而且有關的神學反省在各地亦因應不同的處境而顯得多樣化，女性主義神學並非西方獨有。

　　另一方面，亦有些人會指，今時今日女性地位已提昇了很多，包括香港在內的不少地方，男女已很平等，不必再談女性主義。這在某程度說對了，但不是事實的全部，因為現實中仍有不少女性受歧視、壓迫和限制，未能受公平對待，亦不能盡展所長。

本文主要從兩方面探討教會如何處理為女性與公義的問題，一方面是女性在社會中的處境，另一方面是女性在教會中的處境；當中涉及教會不同層面（包括宗座訓導當局、地方教會、神學家及信徒團體）對女性公義問題的關注，以及神學思想和教會訓導中如何反映和理解兩性關係，並以女性主義解放神學作為檢視原則。

二．女性主義與女性主義解放神學
　
　　由於女性主義神學與女性主義有著千絲萬縷的關係，而最初西方的女性運動著實有很多基督徒參與，所以討論女性主義神學時，不得不先提女性主義。

不少研究女性主義的歷史學者曾指出，西方女性主義運動主要分為兩個階段，即第一波的十九世紀中至1920年，和第二波的1960年代，雖然女性意識及爭取亦可追溯至更早的十五世紀。第一波的女性主義運動又稱「女權運動」，主要從法律上為女性爭取財產權、選舉權和受教育的權利。而女性運動第二波則更深度關注女性意識的提昇和女性的自主性，希望喚醒社會對女性角色和地位的醒覺。

到了七十年代末，白人以外的女性開始發聲，特別是黑人美藉女性主義者，她們認為白人女性主義者無法完全代表她們的經驗和意見，如缺乏對不同種族、階級和地區的女性所面對的處境的敏感度，但白人女性過去卻過分強調女性作為一整體類別，為所有女性爭取更人性化的對待，因而忽略了當中存在的差異，沒有讓不同背景的女性親自發聲。而一些女性主義者開始以不平等及不平均的權力關係角度分析跨國處境下的女性身份問題，提醒處於優勢的白人婦女不可隨意代表其他女性說話，而忽略了其他女性的歷史及政治處境。

女性主義認同男女平等的信念，並決意改革社會，包括宗教組織，令女性的平等參與權利受尊重；以及改革思想，把不公義的社會秩序合法化的思想扭轉過來。它是從女性的角度關心女性的需要，為女性取回公義，即是說，女性與男性一樣在實踐社會角色上應享有平等參與機會，以及可以分享社會成果。女性成為被關懷的對象，同時成為道德主體，參與分析社會現象，提供她們的角度、觀點及經驗，她們是道德行動者。女性主義者的最終目標是令男女之間的關係，無論在個人和社會層面都更合拍和互相協調得更好，從而使他們活得更像人。

而女性主義神學與女性主義如出一轍，源於女性意識，透過重建神學和宗教而參與這改革過程。女性主義神學從來都不只是理論探討，而是有其實踐的幅度。就像解放神學一樣，女性主義神學是源於女性受排斥和歧視的經驗，被剝奪參與社會和教會的機會和權力，意識到傳統所賦予她們的身份和功能與她們的自身經驗不同，並有著改變不公義結構制度和文化思想的目標，希望人與人之間，不論男女，建立在相互合作、尊重和平等的關係上，著重解放和實踐。因此，解放神學和女性主義神學都可被視為倫理神學，它們是站在受壓迫者的一方改革社會和轉化人的態度。

有感在社會和教會中被壓抑的女性經驗未能在主流神學中反映出來，認同女性主義的基督徒認為有必要發展一套更整全的神學，改變教會的男性主導意識，重新詮釋聖經、教會傳統和教會歷史，發掘當中被埋藏了的女性經驗，以及認識歷史中教會婦女被壓迫和角色定型背後的父權主義文化因素。

雖然女性主義者有很多共同之處，但發展中國家的女性主義神學工作者亦意識到，西方的女性主義神學與她們的經驗和面對的處境不盡相同，所以各地都發展了有其特色的解放神學，她們在各自的文化和社會處境中挑戰性別主義，同時抗衡種族主義、殖民主義和經濟剝削問題。以下讓我們以女性主義和女性主義解放神學的原則，檢視教會是否有正視社會和教會中女性面對的公義問題。

三．女性在社會中的處境及教會之關注

教會訓導當局

既然女性主義的出現是源於女性在社會上受到不公平對待，主張公義的教會有否關心這些由女性提出的問題呢？是否認同女性享有各方面的平等權利？理據何在？限於篇幅的關係，本文的探討主要集中在較近代，即六十年代以降的情況，即自女性運動第二波及女性主義神學正式出現的時代，當時社會上已愈來愈多聲音，系統地批評社會文化和宗教中的性別主義，反對傳統社會加諸女性的身份標記，鼓勵由女性自己去詮釋一己的生活經驗和需要，和發揮女性的自主性；同時，女性在爭取權利亦見一定成果。在這種情況下，教會訓導當局作出什麼回應呢？

在1963年發表的《和平於世》通諭中，教宗若望廿三看到當時的時代徵兆，「婦女參與政治，已成為顯明的事實」，而且，基於「婦女對人性尊嚴的意識日漸增高，已不能忍受再被視為物品或工具，而要求在家庭和社會中取得相稱於人性的權利和義務。」（15節）而在六十年代舉行的梵蒂岡第二次大公會議中頒布的文件《教會在現代世界牧職憲章》中，既清楚指出必須正視那些對女性不公平的現象，包括買賣婦女、否認婦女自由選擇配偶及生活地位的權利，拒絕給予她們和男人平等接受教育及文化的權利，以及其他貶抑人性尊嚴和違反人權的惡行（27, 29, 60節），亦指出女性與男性一樣都有權接受高等教育，使他們盡可能獲得與其自身本領及其所有技能相稱的職位與任務；以及每人都有權利獲得與他的傳統相稱的文化生活，並予以充份的發展。而且，每個人獲得權利的同時，亦要幫助其他人獲得這些權利。（60節）

這主要是基於對人性的理解，「每個人都擁有靈性，皆為天主依自已的肖像受造，擁有同一本性及出自同一本原，皆為基督所救贖，並擁有同一使命和同一超性命運，可見基本上人人是一律平等的……因此，應克服並揚棄基於性別而在社會及文化等基本人權上有所歧視，因為這是違反天主的計劃的。」（29節）同樣重要的是，教會確認愈來愈多女性和男人，都「意識到自身是文化創造者」，具有「獨立自主的精神及責任感」，共同建設更好的世界。（55節）　　

其後，教宗若望保祿二世在多份公開書信中都有談到女性的角色和地位，例如，在《家庭團體》勸諭中，談及女性不應被視為不適合擔任公職，以及在商業社會中，在享樂主義文化影響下，女性被商品化及被侮辱，令尊嚴受損。在1994年《致全球婦女書》中，教宗一方面提出要促進各方面真正的平等，又不忘對善心的女性表示讚賞，指她們奉獻自己的生命，致力維護女性尊嚴，爭取女性應有的社會、經濟及政治權利，並指出婦女解放在本質上是積極的，因為世界各地仍有很多障礙，阻止女性獲得承認、尊重和欣賞。

以上的教會訓導文件都反映出教會訓導當局對女性的社會權利和地位的關注，強調男女之間在接受教育、工作和政治參與上的平等權利，並支持反對一切形式的歧視。然而，有學者批評，現代教宗文件沒有譴責具體歧視女性的習俗和傷害女性至深的暴力行為，如工作場所的性騷擾、性暴力如強暴和虐妻；亦沒有強調女性作為領袖的角色；而當以聖母瑪利亞作為學習榜樣時，亦只強調她的支持者角色和祈禱轉求角色。此外，這些文件亦缺少描述女性的經驗和真實故事，令人懷疑教會訓導當局是否有聽取不同女性的自身經歷。

除了正視女性在社會遭到的對待之外，教會訓導文件亦提出了女性在家庭的角色及在社會所受到的尊重。在多份文件中，教宗都提到應特別注意女性在家庭中的工作，即家務工作，這工作指向和專注於保障生活質素，但家務工作往往受忽視，被視為沒有價值，亦缺乏支援。教宗指家務工作及由女性擔當的母職必須被社會承認和重視。有學者指出，這些教導的特點是，教會認為男女在人性尊嚴上平等不等同男女在功能上平等，家務工作是由女性或母親開始，而女性是按照幫助的原則而受造（雖然這幫助是相互的），男女是彼此補足的，因此，男女被視為各有特徵，可以互相補足，而女性地位的提升與女性在婚姻的角色地位有關。有女性主義神學家認為，這種對男女分工和互補的觀念似乎否定了女性選擇角色的自由，所謂不同但平等的說法，實質上是遮掩了不平等的模式，忽略了人的自由決定權和自主性，這有違真正公平的原則。教會訓導對家務工作的肯定固然是對社會忽略此職務的抗衡，但女性從事家務工作比男性好也不是必然。母親角色是女性其中一種可選擇的角色，還是女性的地位取決於她的母職？這點在女性主義者中是比較富爭議性的。

亞洲教會　

在亞洲教會的層面，亞洲主教團協會（FABC）在多次會議中曾探討女性處境和角色的議題。在一九八六年在東京舉行的第四屆全體大會、一九九三年的婦女諮詢會議，以及一九九五年在馬尼拉舉行的第六屆全體大會，都特別就女性議題作討論，並指出這有待作進一步深入探討，因而導致自一九九五年起由FABC教友辦事處舉辦的一連串專題會議BILA on Women，透過生活體驗、經驗分享、分析討論和對教會提出建議，表達亞洲教會對亞洲婦女的關注，及讓各地方教會探索適合的回應方式。

例如，在一九九五年舉行的首次婦女專題會議，主題是「邁向第三個千年婦女在教會和社會的角色」。筆者亦是該次會議的其中一位香港代表。會議由生活體驗開始，透過在泰國笆堤雅走訪紅燈區、女工中心、職業訓練學校等，瞭解性工作者的工作環境、婦女勞工的被剝削情況、低收入婦女的生活狀況、感失落婦女的心境，抗衡暴力和爭扎求存的婦女經驗，以及服務婦女的教會工作者或社工的經驗分享。在瞭解實況處境後，主辨單位安排了嘉賓講者綜合和分析當地女性面對的處境及做神學反省，從而協助與會者整合生活體驗的個人感想、現況分析及信仰啟示，並從而比較不同地區的婦女所面對的處境之異同及探討問題背後的原因，最後作出牧民建議。在整個過程中，每日的禮儀和祈禱亦構成神學反省的一部份。
　
整個會議過程令參加者親身體會到女性面對的具體問題，並認識到在資本主義經濟發展下，財富愈加集中在有權力人士手中，貧困者愈加被排斥和無法分享經濟成果，當中，不少女性受到剝削，亦無從參與社會政策的決策，成為貧窮中的貧窮者。而社會中的父權主義思想令女性無法脫離這種狀況，更有不少被迫從事出賣身體或遠赴外地從事移民勞工。然而，這些困境未有使教會感絕望，反而喚醒教會與這些姊妹團結起來，維護女性的尊嚴，譴責一切對女性造成不公義和有違尊嚴的文化習俗和行為，包括殺女嬰、割損、童工、非法販賣女性、迫娼等等，以及聯同其他民間團體反對對女性的一切暴力，包括家庭暴力、性騷擾、強暴、謀殺等。可見，亞洲主教團協會對女性的社會角色相當重視，在切實瞭解當前問題之餘，更鼓勵各地方教會關心婦女面對的種種問題，並從社會實況作起點做神學反省。

這些會議和文件可視為一個醒覺過程和鼓勵建議，沒有約束性。然而，就像宗座社會訓導一樣，這些牧民建議對不少從事女性關懷工作的團體給予一定的肯定，亦給予有志爭取女性平權的人士靈感和啟發。在亞洲不同地區，有不少修會團體、教區機構、平信徒組織從事各類型（如直接服務、訓練、輔導、組織、倡議等）關懷不同婦女對象（如單親、新來港、被虐、勞工、外籍家庭傭工、少數族矞、性工作者等）的服務和工作，這在某程度上反映教會的不同團體與教會訓導中有關關懷女性和肯定性別平等的互助和應。

四．女性在教會中的處境及教會之回應

與女性主義不同，除了探討女性在社會中的角色和地位，女性主義神學的獨特之處在於它著重探討女性在教會中的角色和位置，以及影響教會如何處理性別議題和女性角色的背後神學思想。以下會先檢視教會訓導中如何看婦女在教會的角色及接受神學訓練的需要。之後，會探討亞洲女性神學工作者對教會婦女的處境作出的評論和反省，然後再介紹女性主義解放神學思想如何令神學思想更能反映對女性的公義。

教會訓導

在肯定人人平等的大前提下，梵二大公會議將天主教會從排斥性和官僚的形象逐漸改變過來，邁向一個在基督內平等、共融的教會。《教會憲章》指出，
天主的子民只有一個：「一個主、一個信德、一個洗禮」（弗：四，5）：大家共有在基督內重生的地位，共有天主兒女的聖寵，共有追求成全的使命，一個救援，一個希望，一個完整不分的愛德。所以在基督內，在教會中，絲毫沒有種族、國籍、社會地位或性別的不平等，因為「不再有猶太人或希臘人，不再有奴隸或自由人，不再有男性或女性。你們眾人在基督內只是一個」（迦三28）。（32節）
　
在梵二《教會在現代世界牧職憲章》中，普世教會的領袖提出了共同願望，希望更多教友「在神學上接受適當的教育，且有人專門致力於神學的研究和深造」，「信友和神職人員都應享有自由研究、思索，並就各自的專長，謙虛而勇敢地發言。」（62節）這無疑是教會對女性接受神學訓練和從事神學研究開了綠燈，而且令受過培訓的女信徒有更多服務教會的可能性，在不同的崗位發揮所長和天主的恩賜。
　
德國神學家拉內對加強女性參與亦作出回響，指出無論在教會中或世界中，女性要面對生命中複雜的人類、社會和文化因素所帶來的種種問題，這些問題只可由女性自身、以她們的方式解決，而不是由教會當局解決，而教會必須提供一個具體模式讓女性可履行這種回應。　
　
回到亞洲教會層面，在《教會在亞洲》宗座勸諭中，教宗若望保祿二世指出，「亞洲主教會議發出特別關懷婦女的聲音，她們的情況在亞洲仍然是嚴重的問題」，並呼籲對婦女關懷意識的醒覺是最重要的時代徵兆之一。同時，主教會議認為「婦女的貢獻常被低估或忽略，結果是導致人類靈性的貧乏。」繼而指出，「亞洲的教會應具體而有效地維護女性的尊嚴與自由，多鼓勵婦女在教會生活中，包括知識生活中扮演她們的角色，給婦女提供更大的機會，讓她們能在教會的愛與服務的使命中出現和行動。」（34節）「婦女們應更廣泛地參與亞洲教會的生活和傳道使命。為了提高她們在教會裡的服務品質，應該讓婦女有更多的機會學習神學和其他的學科……婦女應該更有效地參與牧靈工作、教區和堂區的工作，以及教區會議等。」(45節)

這些有關鼓勵女信徒在教會的不同崗位中服務、貢獻和接受神學訓練的教會訓導的確令人鼓舞。而在一些地方教會如香港，愈來愈多女信徒參與教會各種事奉，包括作為領袖參與教會的重要決策，在推動教會發展上扮演積極角色。然而，有學者及女信徒指出，這些理想建議在現實距離完全實現仍很遙遠，當中教會本身的法律、守則、制度、神學思想仍未能完全配合，特別是有關女性參與決策、擔任領袖角色、晉鐸、平信徒與神職人員之間的分工、在職務的本質等問題仍是極富爭議性的議題。而且，亞洲主教團協會的婦女專題會議亦提出具體的牧民建議，例如讓更多婦女參與教會組織和議會，在神學院及培育中心引進女性主義神學，支持女性修讀神學及提供支援等，反映地方教會有需要回應這方面的問題。以下，以曾接受神學訓練的亞洲女信徒經驗為例，帶出女性感到需要擴闊在教會參與的空間，及主動組織起來。
　
亞洲女性神學家的團結

自梵二後女性在教會內有更大參與空間的大氣候下，亞洲女性亦開始透過不同方式積極貢獻教會，而且，愈來愈多女信徒接受神學教育及參與神學反省和研究的工作。以下以一群女性神學工作者的組成、志向和表達方式為例，反映女信徒對參與教會的期望，亦反映目前教會讓女信徒參與的空間不足。

一九九九年，教宗若望保祿二世在印度公布了亞洲主教會議的總結文件「教會在亞洲」宗座勸諭（Ecclesia in Asia）。二零零一年十一月，約四十位亞洲神學家聚集在印度反省該文件，當中只有四位女參加者，她們反問自己：亞洲是否有女神學家？為何天主教大學中不見她們？當她們進入了大學並研究女性議題時，她們會被視為西化，亦可能不被視為神學家，她們對課程發展有影響力嗎？女性神學工作者往往從事處境神學的探索，她們如何描述亞洲實況呢？

一年後，五十五位來自亞洲各國的女神學工作者聚集於泰國曼谷，舉行第一次「女性的教會在亞洲」(Ecclesia of Women in Asia)會議，主題是：「匯聚沉默者的聲音」，報告了三十篇不同主題的論文，它們在某程度上都是探討更大的主題：女性與教會的關係。其後，每兩年一次舉行不同主題的會議。這些會議的舉行是令女性神學工作者的聲音被聽到，表達出女性是教會，以她們的經驗為反省神學的出發點。透過報告和討論不同主題的文章，女性神學工作者為女性的靈性力量重新命名，重新定義女性建構神學的集體爭扎，並重建具釋放力量的神學反省的特質，填補過去神學工作中缺少女性聲音的缺失。亞洲女性神學工作者不是要建立女性霸權，而是藉建構亞洲神學去重塑亞洲教會學，這教會不會把女信徒遺忘，而是重視所有信徒均可平等參與。她們不希望由別人為她們決定什麼是對她們好，什麼是女性的目標和角色，也不願意被教會邊緣化。參與的女信徒不只是從事學術工作的神學家，亦包括在教會基層推廣神學的女信徒，因女性主義解放神學是植根於生活經驗和爭扎、夢想與遠景、希望與恐懼，因此，藉不同背景的女性神學工作者互相交流，該神學團體希望建立一套關係性的亞洲女性主義詮釋法。
　　
神學中的女性意識及建構　
　　
上文提到，女性主義神學的目標是建構一套更整全的神學，改變教會的男性主導意識，使神學可包容女性經驗，亦可以有女性的思考角度。這要透過重新詮釋聖經、教會傳統和教會歷史，從而發掘被埋藏了的女性經驗，以及認識在父權主義文化因素影響下教會婦女被壓迫和角色定型的史實。因著這目標，女性主義神學有時會被指為挑戰傳統神學，有製造分裂和破壞和諧之嫌。但挑戰傳統神學不是女性主義神學的目標，這只是手段；改變男性主導意識，建立更完整和包容的神學才是它的目標。若教會在神學上更包容，能讓女性在教會中有更平等的參與，則對教會整體來說亦有益，因為女性可按不同恩賜對教會作更多貢獻。以下嘗試就女性主義神學家，包括西方和亞洲，對不同神學議題所提出的看法作簡單介紹，從而指出女性主義者眼中一套對女性更公義的神學的內涵。

１． 神學方法：所有從事女性主義神學的神學工作者都以女性的經驗作起點，由女性訴說自由的故事，除了採用傳統基督宗教文本，亦會採用其他資料作神學反省塑材和交談對象，如神話、民間故事、民間宗教、文化哲學等。女性主義神學雖然以關心女性這類別為大前提，但優先的關懷對象是被忽略和邊緣化的女性。女性神學家希望將聖經和基督宗教傳統中的解放主題與當代女性經驗連結起來，並指出女性主義與基督宗教沒有必然衝突。在亞洲，女性神學家自八十年代中起便組織起來，在各地進行諮詢，經過多次交談討論，有關亞洲女性主義解放神學的共識是：
 以女性處境和面對的爭扎為出發點；
 將壓迫和歧視女性的聖經經文重新詮釋；
 指出各宗教和文化中對女性的解放性和壓迫性因素；
 以靈性傳統為基礎發掘女性的真正價值；
 為信仰注入新景象和新演繹和表達方式；
 由學術為主到與其他姊妹團結的解放行動和社會轉化。
２． 聖經及歷史詮釋：基督宗教經典著作對女性在傳統中尋求正義可說異常重要，不少女性主義聖經學者努力將被埋藏了的解放信息發掘出來，並將這啟示加以詮釋。這涉及找出曾失去的故事和形象、發掘可能是作者和領袖的女性信徒、批判壓迫性的資料、從經文的字裡行間找出早期教會中的平等關係。這需要配合專門的聖經批判方法，為神學發展帶來深遠的影響。同樣，歷史研究亦更正了不少傳統對歷史中女信徒的活動、思想和影響力的看法，為教義的發展和教會法律都帶來新啟迪。歷史學者不但重新演繹中世紀女性的角色，如默觀者(mystics)和貞女(beguines)，更紀錄了透過教義、法律和暴力來控制女性的性別主義和父權思想，從而為當代教會帶來警惕。

３． 談論天主：神學的核心是天主的奧秘，它超越人的認知能力，但人卻透過象徵性或類此性的表達企圖加以明瞭。由於天主的形象和象徵令人認識到什麼是至善、至美和真理，而且它既可為人帶來釋放，亦可帶來壓迫，所以什麼是最合適的方式去談論天主作為創造者、救贖者、聖化者是至為重要的。女性主義神學家認為基督宗教傾向於把上主描述成一位男性、高高在上、控制一切的絕對統治者和判官，這不但無助於女性接近上主，與天主建立密切的關係，對男性亦造成不良影響，更不忠於聖經中多元化的天主形象論述，因而致力於批判這種單一的男性上主形象觀。女性主義神學家不完全否定父的形象，但認為不是上主的唯一和絕對形象，亦不應只用男性代名詞稱呼上主。她們發掘聖經和教會傳統中，上主的女性形象（如母親、母雞、接生婦、智慧女神）、與人的朋友關係，更創造新名詞以示有別於傳統對男性化上主／神的稱謂，如God/ess (Ruether), G*d (Schussler Fiorenza), God…She who is (Johnson)。

４． 基督論：「你們說我是誰？」不但是福音中耶穌對宗徒的提問，亦是每一世代、每一位基督徒要回答的問題。耶穌基督對女性的救恩意義是女性主義神學家一直探討的問題。雖然她們一致認為過往的基督論為女性帶來不公義，但除了少數的激進女性主義者認為男性霸權是傳統中的耶穌基督的特質之外，絕大部份女性主義神學家都強調耶穌基督的先知角色，可為女性帶來釋放。雖然耶穌生理上和性別上是一位男性是歷史事實，但女性主義神學家指出，他也有表現出性別上的女性特質（如不具侵略性和競爭性、溫柔良善、虛心、善於與人建立關係和交朋友），而且基督的身份已超越性別，男性身份在神學中意義不大，上主降生成人在歷史中是必然元素，需要尊重但亦有其限制，性別是屬於人性，不屬於神性或天主性。非白人女性主義者（包括亞洲、非洲矞美籍人士）則自言從耶穌基督身上取得釋放力量；從耶穌關懷和認同貧窮邊緣社群，包括地位低微的女性，力證耶穌並不認同神學思想或某些教會中存在的性別主義、帝國主義或殖民主義，以及指出女性參與了耶穌的救恩計劃。

５． 教會職務：雖然女性在教會中佔了大多數，但女性主義者批評教會繼承了社會的父權思想和男性為中心的權力架構，令不少女性仍未能充分參與和發揮恩賜，女信徒往往被局限於某種職務或角色，而少有涉足教會決策和權力核心。與此同時，女性主義者透過研究發掘初期教會的參與模式，認為基督宗教在開始時主張大家都是平等的門徒(discipleship of equals)。亞洲女性主義神學亦指出除了十二位宗徒，耶穌基督身邊有不少女性跟隨他（路八），而且忠實地跟隨他直至最後，目送他被釘和被埋葬，並學習他背起十字架。因此，教會應讓女信徒在各層次和各種職務有更平等的參與。女性在天主教會及一些基督教會不能晉鐸（按牧）遂成為女性主義者一直關心的議題。有女性主義者更提出建立婦女教會和自行施行聖事，但仍需與建制教會保持對話交流。

６． 靈修：靈修是人對內在神聖的意識，與內在神聖的那位結合。它有神秘經驗和默觀幅度，亦涉及人性的轉化。它的內在向度表達在祈禱生活和基本抉擇；外在向度則在於面對外來挑戰時所選擇的回應。女性主義靈修的特色是從女性的個人和社會經驗開始反省，令女性的個人和社會意識表露出來，讓過往那些因父權主義而令女性真我個性和特質被遮蓋再次展現。這種轉變會帶來解放，包括外在的社會解放和內在的心靈解放。透過基督對人的解放，讓被壓迫婦女重新對自我認識並接受自我，獲內在釋放，衝破外在和內在枷鎖，建立自我形象，重獲自由，在人生道路上達至超越性和創造性。這亦影響她們的人際關係，以及由對抗壓迫和歧視產生的集體意識，因而有反對性別歧視和父權主義的取向。這種靈修的特色是令女性自我肯定、充權、整合、解放、默觀、治療和充滿復活喜樂，是一個持續轉化的過程。

７． 倫理：女性主義倫理關心人的主體性、人自我的本質和人際關係，它的基本原則是女性是完整的人而且有其價值，女性的完整人性表現在平等、自主和互維關係的原則。在神學上，女性主義倫理挑戰將男女視為兩個極端，即精神／身體、理智／情感、主動／被動、自主／依賴。它反對將女性視為邪惡的宗教象徵，亦不認為女性應比男性更有德行、受更多苦、為服務他人而存在，和承受更多的犧牲，這些既定看法為女性帶來不少傷害和限制。女性主義倫理學者關心各種關係是否建立在尊重和平等之上，因而對權力、暴力、責任感和合作等問題上有其詮釋。　　　

結語

　　天主教會自梵二以來經歷了重大轉變，既向世界開放，亦重視社會內部的革新。天主教會在不少社會正義問題的立場上都被視為走在前線，重視人性尊嚴和關懷弱勢社群。然而，在對待性別議題和女性的角色方面，卻甚受爭議。在歷史的不同階段中，教會建制如世俗社會般，被視為深受父權主義思想影響，因而在體制和神學思想上都充斥著性別主義，梵二的革新似乎令教會不同層面的人士在性別議題和女性參與上作出回應，令教會亦產生了變化。
　
本文檢視了宗座訓導文件和亞洲教會文件，探討教會如何處理女性在社會和教會中的處境。從文獻角度來看，發現教會領袖們肯定男女平權及女性在社會中的角色和貢獻，特別是女性在接受教育、工作和政治參與上的平等權利，而且亦支持教會團體爭取婦女權益，特別承認教會團體在牧民上關懷被傷害和剝削的女性的重要性。另一方面，教會文獻顯示教會領袖鼓勵女信徒在教會的不同崗位中服務、貢獻和接受神學訓練，而在一些地方教會如香港，愈來愈多女信徒能參與教會決策，扮演積極角色。然而，不同地方的教會女性卻認為，理論與現實仍有很大距離，而教會本身的法律、制度和神學思想仍為女性更全面和充分參與教會帶來不少障礙，特別是有關女性參與決策、擔任領袖、晉鐸等方面。在神學發展上，女性主義者認為神學應由生命中孕育出來，透過尋求公義和建立關係使信仰生命活得更豐盛。因此，　希望透過批判、重新詮釋、發掘歷史，改變男性主導意識，建立更完整和包容的神學。若教會在神學上更包容，能讓女性在教會中有更平等的參與，則對教會整體來說亦有利。

(註釋請參閱期刊)　
　

2013 Review and Reflection

Happy new year!

Below are some of the important things occurred in my life during last year that I want to express my deepest gratitude to God, my family, and all my friends and mentors.

My Study and Academic Work
This is the fifth year and also the last year of my doctoral program at the Graduate Theological Union (GTU). A year ago around this time, I was still working on my dissertation proposal. After some hard work, my dissertation proposal was finally passed in May in the Doctoral Council, with the help from my committee members (Professors Judith Berling, Philip Wickeri, William O'Neill, SJ, and outside reader Edmund Chia) and schoolmates who gave me valuable comments and advices. I feel gratitude for their encouragement and comments. It was a long process and I experienced some challenging moments. This process allowed me to know better about myself and be aware of the care and love of many people. Several professors and schoolmates who were not on my committee also gave me valuable comments as well as spiritual support. I must give thanks to them. The topic of my project is : Towards an Ethic of Solidarity and Reciprocity with the Marginalized: Catholic and Confucian Social Ethics in Dialogue. I will demonstrate the importance of integrating virtue ethics approach into social ethics and employ the migrant women issue as a case study. Now I am writing my dissertation and it is half way through. I plan to finish the whole draft by this April so that I can defense and then go back to Hong Kong in summer, starting another stage of my ministry and life journey.

Apart from preparing the dissertation proposal, in the first half of the year, I was busy at teaching and writing papers. In the spring semester, I co-teach a seminar course “Faith in Human Rights” with Professor Marianne Farina at the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology, with the GTU Newhall Award. To get this award, I have to apply with a mentor professor and submit a course topic with preliminary syllabus. I gained valuable experience in learning to be a teacher and a mentor for the students. Prof. Farina herself was also a great mentor to me. Every week before class, we met and talked about the class for half an hour to an hour or even longer, from lecture to discussion questions to assignments. She also concerned about my own study and gave me lots of support and concrete advices, especially when I revised my dissertation proposal.

In March, I presented a paper in a conference on Catholic Social Theory in Taipei, hosted by the Catholic Fujen University. The presenters were from Taiwan, China, Hong Kong and Macau. I met some teachers and friends that I haven’t met for a long time. When I came back to Berkeley after the conference, I was invited by the Asia Project of GTU to present my paper on “Women Migrant Workers in Hong Kong: A Catholic Ethical Response” in their monthly Green Tea Conversation. In both occasions, we had good discussion and got good feedbacks that inspired me to further explore the issue.

A year ago when I attended a meeting, I met an editor of an academic journal Intercultural Human Rights Law Review and she mentioned about this journal. I thought that one of my papers fit well the overall theme of the journal, so I submitted my paper to the editorial board. After some revisions, my article “Human Rights in China: Examining the Human Rights Values in Chinese Confucian Ethics and Roman Catholic Social Teachings” was finally published in volume 8 of the journal in August. When I received the hard copy of the journal in November just before the Thanksgiving Day, I felt so happy. It was just the right time and the best gift for me for Thanksgiving. This paper was originally a final paper of a class. Then I expanded it to submit to a paper contest at GTU and won the prize. I feel grateful to all the professors who read and gave comments on my paper at different stages.

Although I am far away from Hong Kong, I always pay close attention to what happen there and think about how to integrate the social context in my academic work. I try to contextualize whatever I write for my papers, whether it relates to theories of justice, or human rights theory, or Confucian ethics, or Christian ethics. I also try to share what happen in HK with my friends here. Many things occurred in HK in the past year. Although I could not participate directly, I felt my heart and mind was close to the people there.

My Ministry
Apart from study, I involve in a social ministry, giving massage therapy to the marginalized once a week in the Tenderloin area in San Francisco, through the Care Through Touch Institute (CTI). The few places I usually give massage are the Tenderloin Self-Help Centre, a women/men shelter, and the Gubbio project at the St. Boniface’s Church. I also volunteered for the Project Homeless Connect several times a year. All Christians are called in different ways to follow Jesus. I feel I can experience Jesus in this ministry and to be a disciple of Jesus, following his footsteps of serving and caring the poor and bring healing to others. This ministry makes me more humble and more caring to those who are in need. I hope I can find some places to continue this ministry when I go back to Hong Kong.

In early October, I learnt Reiki treatment with other massage practitioners. Since then, I have integrated this gentle hands-on healing modality into my care through touch work and have offered Reiki treatments to myself and others. Each treatment is a time of prayer and contemplation for me, a time to remember a friend in need and put my intention into action, a time to be an instrument of God’s healing for another person. I feel gratitude to offer Reiki to the recipients and listened to their stories. Many of them also feel supported by having someone to address their problems through this healing modality. During the Reiki sessions, Jesus the comforter, very often, is my spiritual guide who tells us, “come to me, all you who labor and are overburdened, and I will give you rest.” All of us are overburdened in different ways, physically, mentally, and emotionally. We need to take a deep rest and be healed so that we can be in peace again.

The massage practitioners of CTI formed a care community and gather monthly to share our massage experiences, spirituality, and other aspects of our lives. This community is like a faith sharing community which put our faith in action, integrating spirituality and ethics in this ministry.

Keeping a Balanced Life

At the beginning of the year, I had a few days retreat in Hong Kong. My spiritual director advised me that I need to pay attention to various aspects of my life apart from study, so as to keep healthy. I can’t agree more and I also try to keep a more balanced life. Thus, apart from my study and ministry, I try to keep my time of praying, doing exercise or walking/hiking, enjoying sunshine and leisure activities (usually listening to songs/music and watching movies, sometimes visiting art museum) in balance. I also meet my spiritual director every month to share about my experiences with God and my spiritual life. Moreover, I develop my interest in doing artwork/handicraft work, starting from learning pysanky egg-painting and dying from my friend Becky a few years ago.

During Lent, I was invited by my friend Jeanette to host a pysanky egg-painting workshop for her parish in Fremont. This was also a fund-raising function for supporting the youth who would attend the World Youth Day. This was the first time for them to experience this Ukrainian spiritual tradition. All of us enjoyed very much.

During summer, I attended a series of art workshop organized by the Pacific School of Religion. Each time a different instructor showed us to do artwork through a different medium. I attended four or five times and learnt some skills in expressing myself through art. I take doing art work as a kind of spirituality. I also like the idea of making some artworks for friends as small gifts, as a sign of friendship and sharing some of my thoughts.

During the long holidays, I traveled two times with my friends to relax. I went with some Hong Kong friends in May to Yosemite and Sequoia national parks. In August, I went with another friend to Nevada. Travelling with good friends is always an enjoyable experience. Sharing in the trip can deepen friendship and make me become aware of the presence of God in the amazing creation and people around me.

Support from My Family and Friends
I feel grateful to my family, especially my sister Sandra, my friends in Hong Kong, the U.S. and other parts of the world, and my mentors and spiritual directors, for their love, encouragement, and support when I am far away from home. In Berkeley, some of my good friends graduated and left. I also have to work hard to achieve the goal of oral defense in this year. I also knew some new friends and we organized an end-of-the-semester celebration cum farewell to Izak's family in May.

Last year, I went back home twice, from Dec 2012 to the beginning of 2013 and also in March after the conference in Taipei. I spent time with my family and old friends, and attended Jodie's baptism in Easter vigil. Their love, concern, and friendship really touched me. All these are precious gifts for me from God.

When I look back my experiences in 2013, I feel so full of gratitude, and resonate with St. Paul’s words in the letter to the Ephesians:

“ I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”

Wish you all have a joyful and blissful new year!

Mary

Caring and Healing to the Marginalized

“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest in your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11: 28-30)

I had an opportunity to learn Reiki healing from Sr. Mary Ellen Brody, RSM with other massage practitioners at the Care Through Touch Institute (CTI) in early October. It’s a valuable experience for me. Since then, I try to integrate Reiki into my care through touch (massage) work and to offer Reiki treatments for myself and others, both hands-on full body and distant Reiki. Although Reiki seemed somewhat mysterious at first, I was told in the workshop that all we need is caring hands, a loving heart, and the intention for Reiki energy to flow. Thus, although I am new to Reiki, I try to offer treatments to various friends and clients, attempting to learn through practice.

A few weeks ago, through Mary Ann, the director of CTI, I knew a friend from CTI was sick and had been in the hospital. After he was discharged, he was still in pain, feeling uncomfortable and tired. So I offered to give him a distant Reiki treatment. The next day he said he had slept very well but still had pain. I offered two more treatments that week. Each time after the treatment, he told me that he felt much better and appreciated that someone was thinking and caring about him. I think caring and making connection is exactly the spirit of Reiki, and also the spirit of CTI.

Each treatment is also a time of pray and contemplation for me, a time to remember a friend in need and put my intention into action, a time to be an instrument of God’s healing for another person, and a time to strengthen connection and deepen relationship among God, the Reiki receiver and myself. When talking with the recipients about their needs before the Reiki session, I feel gratitude that they are willing to share their stories, their challenges and difficulties with me. They in turn feel supported by having someone listen to them and address their problems through this hands-on modality. I have started understanding and experiencing Reiki treatment as “a concrete way to allow God’s healing light, divine love and holy energy to bring about deep healing.”

During the Reiki sessions, I have some spiritual guides who are very powerful and helpful for me. One of them is Jesus the comforter who tells us, “come to me, all you who labor and are overburdened, and I will give you rest.” All of us are overburdened in different ways, physically, mentally, and emotionally. We need to take a deep rest and be healed so that we can be in peace again. Reiki affords one that opportunity.

For me, practicing Reiki also makes me more mindful of keeping a healthy life through eating healthy food, doing exercises, giving self-treatment and having meditation regularly, and always have the sense of gratitude. This is a benefit for my own well-being.

神學教育對我生命的影響

天主在每個人身上的計劃都是很奇妙的，往往更是出人意表，回想自己的人生旅程以至信仰歷程，亦感到如是。當中神學教育更對我的信仰成長、價值判斷、待人處事、教會事奉，以至工作方向都有舉足輕重的作用。

聖神修院是筆者首個接受神學培育的地方，去年是筆者在宗教學部畢業十五周年，一班同學聯同家人相約在八月某周末慶祝，並回顧十五年來大家一起走過的日子。可惜，身在美國進修的我未能出席参與。雖然如此，在我的靈修日記中，卻記下了一些感想和回憶片段，作為個人回顧和反思。因為寫這篇文章，於是翻閱靈修日記，再次感受到天主的愛是那麼的廣、寬、高、深，是我有限的知識所不能完全明白的（厄弗所書三：18-19）。

報讀神學是天主的邀請，亦是我人生路上其中的一個重要決定。報讀那年，是我經歷了漫長的慕道過程後，終於受洗正式成為天主教徒的同一年，亦是大學畢業後，在教區正義和平委員會工作了幾年之後。因工作關係，我要經常看天主教社會訓導的書籍，但感到對很多其他信仰問題仍未明白，渴望有機會可以更有系統、更深入地接受信仰培育。某天，碰到在正委會認識的李佩菱（後來與她成為同屆同學），她知道我有興趣讀神學，提醒我截止日期快到，於是我立即報名，自此展開了我的神學之旅。

四年神學生生活，的確讓我有很多領受。首先，在知性層面方面，能系統地學習神學固然幫助我瞭解不少過去不明白和不懂得表達的信仰問題，如天主啟示與神人的關係、什麼人才可得救、天主的愛與人的回應、苦難與恩寵、什麼是基督徒使命、耶穌基督的獨特性與天主教與其他宗教的關係、社會正義與傳福音的關係等問題，都讓我在四年學習期間反覆思考和反省。這些都不是抽象的理論問題，而是與我的人生抉擇、價值判斷、待人處事等方面息息相關。對於這些問題，完成課程亦未必有絕對、明確的答案，但從老師們的講解，以及借鑒不同神學家的詮釋和智慧，可以讓我作進一步分析和反省，亦對我尋找人生意義起著重要作用。　

其實，對這些神學問題的探討，亦讓我不會只囿於個人的主觀意見或狹隘的思考方式。因為修讀神學愈久，愈使我意識到自己知道的其實很有限，需要以謙卑和開放的態度學習，以及與不同意見、學派、宗教信仰、文化和學科等對話交談，而不應持有唯我獨尊、自我中心或自以為高人一等的心態行事。這亦影響到我日後繼續鑽研神學時，意識到跨學科、跨文化和跨宗教交談和交流的重要。這更有助我們從事本地化和處境化神學的研究。

另一方面，四年的神學學習讓我在個人信仰成長和建立信仰團體生活方面方面亦有所裨益。這是信仰感性的層面，與知性層面相輔相成。雖然讀神學看似很理性，但我認為神學畢竟是研究神與人的關係，若神學生只埋首理論，而缺乏靈修生活與天主溝通分享，如何能體會這份親密關係呢？我自問從前比較重視理性，但讀了神學後，反而更重視頭腦、身、心、靈之間的平衡和整合。當然，這也是經過多年的體會後慢慢明白和實踐的。

回想一年級時，我選修了姚崇傑神父的靈修研習會，並由姚神父指導我撰寫第一年的學年文章，我仍記得我的文章題目是梵二後的教友靈修，當時感到這題目對自己作為新教友有頗重要的意義，瞭解到教友靈修是在俗世社會中踐行、要與生活結合、具社會關懷的幅度、有安靜和默想時間之餘亦要透過行動表達信仰等等，這些發現直接影響到我自己的靈修生活。往後的日子，特別在宗教學部畢業後，繼而在美國進修神學時，我更進一步探討靈修與倫理、靈修和社會正義或解放、德行倫理與靈修等的關係，以及參考各地方結合靈修與社會見證的例子。我亦嘗試在自己的生活和社會關懷職務中實踐。

能夠完成四年課程，一班同學的互相支持和鼓勵十分重要，皆因兼讀神學生生涯並不容易，下班後上課有時候難免感到疲累。為我來說，在學院修讀神學的其中一個重要收獲，就是結識了這群志同道合的同學。我們的工作、人生經歷和計劃各有不同。畢業後，有些組織了家庭，有的生兒育女，有的繼續進修神學（包括筆者在內），有的轉換了職業，有的全職在教會內從事教育工作。無論轉變如何，多年來我們仍然能夠保持這份友誼，實在是天主的祝福和聖神的帶領。部份同學畢業後組成了信仰團體，多年來定期聚會，我深深感受到大家互相關心、勉勵和支持。同時，我們一些同學亦組成了「結伴同盟」團體，為堂區策劃「信仰整合培育課程」，一起尋找和實踐使命。我們以集體的方式回應天主的邀請，以信仰維繫團體，並以行動實踐所學與其他教友分享。這些都是讀神學的寶貴收獲，是無價的。

2013.05.05
(刊於聖神修院神哲學院宗教學部畢業同學會 成立二十週年誌慶紀念特刊)

海外信仰生活體驗帶來的啟迪與反思

　　最初接觸傳信會已是二十年前的事，印象已很模糊。我想是九三、九四年左右吧，在公教報得知從非洲回來的教友傳教士何慧敏姊妹在堂區分享經驗，我便獨個兒前往參加。當時，我並不認識講者，跟其他傳信會成員也不熟，只是被該分享主題吸引。可能我一直對發展中或較貧窮的國家的情況和人民的生活很有興趣，想瞭解多些，加上那時剛領洗不久，對教會和信仰上很多事情也感興趣，如是便前往參加，但我已記不起聽畢分享後的感想和印象。那年頭，也是我加入了教區正義和平委員會工作不久的時侯，臨近九七主權移交過渡期，社會議題層出不窮，所以工作異常忙碌。加上我剛報讀了神學，又參加了一些信仰和義工組織，所以往後那些年，也沒有時間和機會進一步瞭解傳信會的工作和活動（除了某次偶然看到何愛珠姊妹在＜神思＞的文章分享），直到十年之後......

真正較近距離接觸傳信會是參加了兩次傳信會舉辦的信仰生活體驗團，一次是前往緬甸東枝，另一次是前往非洲肯尼亞的首都內羅比。

二零零五年年中，那時剛從美國進修回來不久，大約在四、五月的某一天，在公教報看到緬甸生活體驗團招募團員的廣告，當時心中有股衝動很想參加，而且知悉體驗團是在七月或八月舉行，新工作仍未正式上任，時間上很配合，於是立即致電詢問詳情及報名。雖然這不是我第一次前往外地參加生活體驗，但與其他團員（另有四位參加者）都互不認識卻是首次。起初我是有些擔心的，因為我們這體驗團除了探訪一些教會辦的社會服務外，還應東枝教區邀請，為福傳小姊妹（Zeterman)安排一個短期課程，分享知識和信仰，包括聖經分享、電腦使用、基本醫護知識和文化交流。由於對當地環境毫無概念、對福傳小姊妹的背景也不清楚，加上在籌備開會期間感到團員間的做事作風南轅北轍，凡此種種，對於凡事講求計劃周詳、準備妥當的我當然是一大挑戰。幸好，在聖神的帶領下，整個過程團員之間都能合作無間，互相配合和補足。白天，我們在培育中心與學員分享、授課、聊天和用膳；晚上，除了檢討和準備課程外，我們會一起祈禱、分享個人信仰經驗和感受，我感到團員之間的坦誠分享很難能可貴。整個旅程，由籌備到成行出發到在緬甸生活體驗和教學分享知識到回港重聚分享，是一次難忘且愉快的經驗，亦是一次很特別的與主相遇的經驗。

至於肯尼亞體驗團又是另一次難忘經驗，這次體驗團主要是探訪和瞭解教友傳教士陳倩盈姊妹所服務的學校和堂區，以及她所認識的其他傳教士和當地教會的服務和工作。非洲國家對身處發達的香港的我們來說，會引發很多不同的想像，然而，能夠置身其中，在某下雨天親臨非洲發達城市內羅比中的一個大型貧民窟奇比拉，以及探訪倩盈任教的中學（學生主要來自受愛滋病影響的家庭），與校長和老師傾談，即使時間不長，認識很有限，但已不能不佩服每天都要穿梭貧民窟的的老師，對倩盈更再加添幾分敬意和欣賞！而且，每晚與倩盈及另外兩位團員的祈禱分享，讓我對教友傳教士的心路歷程更加深了認識，瞭解到隻身在海外服務真的不容易，包括文化、物質、人際關係上的適應，但難得的是倩盈常銘記「上主天天和她在一起」，遇到再艱鉅的問題也坦然面對。

事實上，無論對於在肯尼亞遇到的來自香港、美國、意大利等地方的教友或修會傳教士，或是在緬甸認識的當地福傳小姊妹，經過與她們交談，甚或探訪他們服務的機構和對象，我都能在他們身上感受到那份強烈的使命感和信德。他們不但勇於回應上主的召叫前往有需求的地方服務，願意慷慨付出與他人分享，以謙卑的心學習自己不熟識的語言和認識其他文化，而且即使遇到困難，都無阻他們那份堅持、對天主的信賴，對生命的熱誠，以及對人懷有的希望和真摯關懷，並以堅毅的精神克服困難，為服務對象帶來希望，決心以行動見證信仰，這實在令人欽佩。相信廿五年來來自香港的教友傳教士，都是懷著這種精神在海外傳播福音喜訊、為信仰作見證。

兩次信仰生活體驗都帶給我很多啟迪和反省，包括個人的召叫和使命、團體的合作精神、祈禱靈修生活與行動實踐的關係、如何過簡單、快樂和有意義的生活等。回港後我將有關經驗、體會和感想在傳信會的聚會和其他場合與其他人分享，並化為文字刊於公教報和網誌上，讓更多人知悉教友傳教士的生活和當地情況，希望藉此吸引更多人認識和支持傳信會的工作和其他地方的教會。

參加了兩次體驗團，每次與團友分享時，也會談到是否想過做傳教士前往海外福傳。我本人也有想過這問題，特別是第二次體驗後，也曾與我的靈修導師分享有關念頭。但當時我也在考慮再前往外地進修神學，而且已考慮了好一段時間，最後還是決定先前往讀書，往後或許仍有機會往外地以教友身份見證信仰和分享神學知識。而在二零零九年離港前一年，我答允傳信會幹事會的邀請，參與幹事會的工作。雖然只是短短的一年時間，所付出的可謂微不足道，然而，出任幹事讓我有機會參與在本地支持海外福傳的工作，共同商議會務；並讓我感受到一班幹事的投入和熱誠，他們都是參與傳信會工作多年的教友，默默耕耘，希望教友認識福傳的意義、平信徒的使命，以至鼓勵有志教友參與海外福傳的職務。

現時身在美國進修的我，雖然不能直接參與傳信會的工作，但仍留意著傳信會的活動和教友傳教士的動態，以及為他們祈禱。此外，兩次體驗以及與傳信會幹事合作和避靜的經驗，時至今日亦經常提醒我，無論身在何處，都要常常與上主保持一份親密的關係，透過祈禱默想擦亮眼睛，在日常生活中認出主耶穌，留意祂向自己發出的邀請，將天主的愛與其他人分享，在自己的崗位為信仰作見證。我發現恆常的祈禱的確能確幫助我在不同的人身上認出天主，包括神學院的老師和同學、在信仰路上陪伴我同行的靈修導師，以及遠在香港的親友等，特別是在困難時刻，更能夠體會到天主的愛和扶助。

在此時此刻，回應天主的邀請，將祂的愛回饋給祂和社會，除了努力學習裝備自己外，我選擇在課餘時間在三藩市的田德農社區服務無家貧困者，透過按摩治療為有需要人士提供身心治療。在機緣巧合下，我認識了我現時服務的機構Care Through Touch Institute。它的宗旨是，本著基督宗教和佛教的靈修精神，透過雙手與個別人士的深度接觸，邀請義務治療師與社會上最貧窮、被邊緣化、被壓迫和被忽略的人士接觸，為他們祈禱，以及回應他們身體上、心靈上，甚至情緒上的創傷，視「與貧窮及受壓迫者在一起」為一種生活方式和態度。這服務不但是我見證信仰的一種行動，亦讓我從最弱小的兄弟姊妹身上認出耶穌。很多時，我從他們身上得到的比我付出的還要多呢！他們給予我們的關心遠超過我所預期的。

2013.6.9
［天主教教友傳信會廿五周年紀念 ］

因信德而獲得正義

許給亞巴郎和他的後裔的恩許，使他作世界的承繼者， 並不是藉著法律，而是藉著因信德而獲得的正義。～羅馬人書4:13

在社會上，有時候我會看見一些人（包括當權者），時常說著一些關心貧窮人如何重要的說話，自己卻不善待有需要的人，這是講一套做一套，言行不一。另外，一些人表面上做很多善事，獲別人讚賞其善心，但他們對自己的員工卻異常苛刻，刻薄寡恩，這是博取聲譽的行動，而非真誠待人的表現，可謂動機和行為不貫徹如一。亦有一些人熟識法律，甚至懂得鑽空子 逃避責任，但對於這些人，即使他們的知識如何了得，所處位置如何重要，也不值得誇讚舉揚。

昔日，保祿宗徒在寫給羅馬人的書信中，正指出了不可因知識、地位、守法而自誇，而知法犯法的猶太人比外邦人犯過更為嚴重。保祿是要指出，一些熟識法律的猶太人，自恃自己懂法律、表面守法律，便以為自己比其他不熟識法律的外邦人高人一等，其實他們沒有什麼好誇耀的，因為恩寵是天主白白恩賜的，信德（而非法律）是救恩之所在。更甚者，某些猶太人宣講不可偷盜，自己卻去偷盜；宣講不可行姦淫，自己卻行姦淫；叫人憎惡偶像，自己卻去劫掠廟宇（羅2:21-23)。他們以法律自誇，而自己卻違反法律，這不是知法犯法、言行不一嗎？

保祿這番話正好提醒我們，不要倒果為因，以為守了法律、遵守誡命便成義得救，更重要的是，反問自己的心在哪裡，是否全心信賴天主？自己的信德是否堅定穩固，承受得起挑戰？保祿告訴我們，凡全心信賴天主的人，不論是猶太人或外邦人、男人或女人、奴隸或自由人，都會藉天主的恩寵得救，與天主和好，成為天主的子女。
　
這樣說不是輕視法律，或認為行為善工不重要。相反，守法和善功都是信德的外在彰顯。因為凡與基督結合的人，整個人都會有所轉化。歸依不是一次過的行動，而是不斷的轉化提昇。與主的關係愈密切，信德亦愈強，對一切人和事的觀察、判決以至行動都會以天主的目光出發，因而以天主的教導生活、以愛德行動回應天主的愛，而不是因害怕被罰而守法律。因著信德，這些外在的行為正好證明了信徒的內在本質已經轉化提昇。

生活在現今社會，誘惑眾多，有時候為了個人利益或個人方便，往往忘記了別人的需要；有時過份強調自己的努力，因而忘記一切都是天主的白白恩賜，距離天主愈來愈遠而不自知。亦有時遇到挫折而忘記了天主的恩許，以至信心不再。我們一方面要不斷歸依，加強與天主的關係，強化信德；另一方面，謹記天主的法律、誡命和教導是幫助我們成為一個更好的信徒，而不是用來誇耀自己。

求主賜予我們謙卑的心，懂得感恩，懂得欣賞別人而不自誇。　

收割莊稼的工人

看，我派遣你們猶如羔羊往狼群中。（路10:3)

耶穌派遣門徒宣講、見證和拓展天國；門徒驅魔、治病，以及呼籲人悔改歸善。雖然耶穌吩咐門徒只需簡單的旅行裝備，既不帶錢包口袋，也不帶鞋子，但這使命卻殊不簡單，甚至帶有危險性，猶如羔羊往狼群中，一不小心，甚至性命不保。因此，門徒必須專心致志，心無旁騖，連與人問好打交道也不必。但耶穌也安慰門徒不必過份擔心，並想了好些可能出現的狀況，讓門徒有心理準備，讓他們知道只要全心信賴上主，即使不是一切問題都會迎刃而解，但他們始終會得到祝福，旅途中會得到照顧。

既然這是上主的工作，門徒是帶和平給他人，為何這使命會有危險性呢？這是因為耶穌的福音觸動了當權者的權力，令他們感到受威脅。而且，耶穌的福音不是為討好大眾，有時候他的教導甚至讓人覺得很難聽得入耳，特別是那些心高氣傲、擁有權勢的人，並不是人人都會接受。因此，即使所有人都有機會享有這份和平，但最終只有那些願意接受的人才可獲得。

今時今日，我們都被耶穌邀請成為收割莊稼的工人，消減惡勢力，將他的和平、治癒帶給其他人，在現世建設天國。生活在香港的基督徒，可能未有感受到傳信使命的危險性。然而，在世界各地，當基督徒只屬少數，而且是當地政權或主流宗教所不容或敵視時，如在中國大陸、巴基斯坦、印度、蘇丹等地方，要在當地傳福音、建立教會，服務當地人民，殊不容易，更遑論在這些地方指出不公義和惡勢力的蔓延。

近日，看到一些報導和聽到一些訪問，有關某位可經常自由出入內地的神父，聲稱國內已有一定程度的宗教自由、公義和進步，故不應只強調國內不公義的一面。當然，凡事都有兩面，內地不少神長和教友都努力在有限的空間中活出信仰，而且在某些地方，這空間在擴展中。但筆者也曾跟因信仰而坐牢的神父直接交談，以及看過不少資料，知道實況並非如這位神父所說的理想。在某些地方，國內的基督徒，就如羔羊在狼群中，隨時會被軟禁或拘捕，生命更受到威脅。雖然不是全國各地情況都這麼嚴重，但絕不能抹煞有人真的因信仰、因發出公義的聲音而受迫害。

每個人的工作重點不同，神恩各異，在基督內我們應互相補足、彼此欣賞。然而，若我們只看到自己的工作和使命如何偉大，只看到自己有限的接觸範圍內的美好景象，而忽略甚至否定了自己視線範圍以外的不公義，甚至明知這些事情的存在而顯得漠不關心、事不關己，甚至批評那些揭露不公義的人和團體，則如何稱得上是一位基督的追隨者。

這正好提醒我們，我們所做的事，是為歌頌自己還是為光榮天主？是取悅政權還是依賴天主？是以自我為中心還是以耶穌的教導和榜樣為依歸？

2012 Review: A Year of Thanksgiving

“Even when I walk in a ravine as dark as death, I should fear no danger, for you are at my side. Your staff and your crook are there to soothe me.” (Ps 23:4)

“Kindness and faithful love pursue me every day of my life. I make my home in the honor of Yahweh for all time to come.” (Ps 23: 6)

My Study and Ministry
• This is the fourth year of my study. I passed the oral defense of my comprehensive examination at the end of October. I have to thank especially my committee members and my comp study group. Their encouragement, critical comments and companionship are important support for me to survive in this challenging journey.

• I presented papers in two academic conferences: one at the GTU Women and Religion student conference in March, another one at the Chicago American Academy of Religion (AAR) the Confucian Tradition Group in November.

• In the spring semester, I attended a course design seminar which help me to prepare the course that I am going to teach in 2013 spring. I also took a seminar course on Scripture and Ethics with Lucas Chan, a visiting professor at JST and also a Jesuit from Hong Kong.

• I attended a dissertation workshop in the Asian Theological Summer Institute (ATSI) program in the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia in early June. The collaborative learning method and comments from various professors help me to revise and improve my proposal.

• I attended a church meeting in Rome on justice and peace in early December. I shared the situation in Hong Kong and China and the church’s response. I met some great people there who are scholars in social teachings, human rights or social sciences and some church leaders who are active in social justice ministry.

• I continue my social ministry as a massage practitioner in the Tenderloin area in San Francisco. Usually I go to the Tenderloin Self-help Centre to give chair massage to the homeless community once every one or two week(s). This ministry makes me more humble and experience God’s presence among the least of our brothers and sisters. It also help me to be more grounded when I study social ethics and justice theories, linking my study with my ministry, and understanding “option for the poor” in a concrete way.

Friendship and Travel

• In summer, after attending the workshop in Philadelphia, I went to Boston and visited my secondary school classmate Sunita whom I haven’t met for years and my good friend Moka whom I knew during my first year PhD study. I had a great time with them in which we had in-depth sharing and enjoyed sight-seeing together.

• After my paper presentation in Chicago in November, I stayed for a week to meet three good friends during the Thanksgiving week. I stayed in the Jesuit community in Loyola Chicago for a few days with my good friend Kaf whom I knew during my MA study at JST in 2003-04. We shared a lot about our study in the past and at present, our faith journey and all the happiness and challenging moments in the past few years. We also visited some museums and do sightseeing together. Moreover, I was invited to a family gathering on Thanksgiving Day by Lida, a friend whom I knew in Hong Kong some years ago when she did her research for her dissertation project. She has Ukrainian heritage. Apart from sharing our academic life and daily life, we also share our experiences in Pysanky egg-painting. Besides, I visited another Jesuit friend Yong in Milwaukee whom I knew in Berkeley last summer when he took a summer course on spiritual direction.

• I knew these friends in different stages of my life but all of them have influenced my life in different ways and let me see the goodness of God’s creation and feel God’s grace.

• I joined the GTU buddy program to share my study experience with the incoming student. I was assigned to be the buddy of Eunjoo,a new IDS study from Korea and we became good friends since then.

• I also feel grateful for having some good friends at GTU so that we can encourage and support each other. Meanwhile, some of my good friends graduated and left Berkeley. I really missed them!


Extraordinary experience
• I went to Rome to attend a church meeting and I experienced the very first time of losing my passport and visa and wallet on a train from the airport to downtown Rome. I was distracted by a few men and my bag was stolen when I bent down and picked up things for them. I learnt a lesson that I must keep an eye on my belongings at whatever time and wherever I am. Luckily, I did not lose my computer and other valuable things. Moreover, the church organization which organized the meeting help me a lot and bought me a ticket to Hong Kong so that I can reapply all my documents. This gave me an extra holiday in Hong Kong. I feel so grateful for their generosity and kindness.

Holiday in Hong Kong
• Because of this unexpected holiday, I had my Christmas and new year celebrations with my family, gatherings with many friends, and visit some mentors and teachers. I really felt happy to see them and had chances to talk and share with them again.

Future plan
I will co-teach a course on “Faith in Human Rights” with Professor Marianne Farina in the fall semester. I will propose my dissertation next year and then start writing. I will also attend a conference on Catholic Social Theory in Taipei in March and present a paper. After the conference, I will stop by Hong Kong and have my Easter there.

I feel gratitude for what I have experienced in the past year, including achievements and difficulties. All were blessings moments to me as I could feel the presence of God.

Foot Massage and Discipleship

Christian discipleship is the journey into a relationship with Jesus that deepens and grows. It is a kind of mutual bonding between Jesus, when he called us to follow him, and we, followers when we say yes from our heart. His love exceeds what he receives in return. He affirms our faith through telling us “be not afraid” recurrently although we always show fear and hesitation.

The path of discipleship may not be an easy journey and we need a community to support each other. However, the differences among the community of disciples may bring frustration and it is especially this time for us to learn how to live in harmony and nurture the sense of inclusiveness.

For me, Jesus’ own behavior of walking, eating and drinking with the poor inspires me to accept people who were considered worthless and treated as invisible. This challenges me to build connection with the marginalized and treat them equally. Some years ago, after taking a class on "spirituality and liberation" and a workshop on linking massage therapy with spirituality, I started volunteering for the Care Through Touch Institute, a non-profit organization which serve the marginalized through massage therapy. I hope to integrate my spirituality with serving the poor and underprivileged through this social ministry. I give upper body massage (neck, shoulder, back, head and hands) to people in a self-help community center about twice a month. This service also reminds me to pray for the homeless and marginalized people, and be more aware of the social policies relating to this.

I agree more and more that as a disciple of Jesus, my prayers need actions to back up and my spiritual practices urges me to act according to the teaching of Jesus.

In the past Holy Thursday, I did foot massage for the first time. I attended a one-day workshop to learn how to do it. It was not just a skill-learning workshop, Mary Ann, the director of the institute, and Pamela showed us the sacredness of serving others through foot massage. They also alerted us to pay more attention to our own bodies and the connection among all of us who gave and received massage. Giving massage on Holy Thursday was a profound experience for me. It reminded me how Jesus served people through washing their feet. He called us to “go and do likewise.” That’s what I tried to do.

Ukrainian Pysanky Eggs