Photo courtesy of Joseph Lam @josephlam.photography
2026年4月2日，天主教香港教區發布該教區主教周守仁樞機在今年的復活節文告中，指出復活節激勵我們不要放棄希望。他強調無論世界會變得怎樣，請不要讓自己或我們的年輕一代向絕望屈服，更不要讓他們選擇報復性的仇恨與暴力。要堅信愛的力量，它是希望的根基。
圖片提供：天主教香港教區
2026年復活節文告
天主教香港教區主教周守仁樞機
因為我們的逾越節羔羊基督，已被祭殺作了犧牲。所以我們過節，不可用舊酵母，也不可用奸詐和邪惡的酵母，而祇可用純潔和真誠的無酵餅。（哥林多前書 5:7b-8）
各位香港市民和居民，當我撰寫這篇復活節文告時，中東的戰爭和衝突，有可能會蔓延至世界其他地方，實在讓我們無法樂觀地預期衝突將快結束。
說實話，我不知道復活節當日我們的世界會變得怎樣。侵略者發動了極度破壞性的襲擊行動，受襲一方也生起了惱怒的仇恨，他們要拉世界到甚麼境地？但願不是走向核災難或活地獄。讓我們誠心祈求上主的救援。
然而，我們作為世界公民，既不能夠、也不應該坐以待斃，等待著這些嚇人的可能性變成事實。否則，我們也要為這災難性的後果負起責任、即使責任是怎樣微小的。因為每個人——無論是積極或消極、有意還是無意——都在身處的團體、社會、國家，以至鄰近地區，構成人類集體意識的一部份。因此，假如我們多數人對鄰居抱持負面態度並採取相應行動，這連鎖效應又將如何影響我們居住的地區、甚至全世界呢？
換句話說，我們能做甚麼來緩解自身社群內的緊張局面，進而影響全球的氛圍呢？我想，在這個充滿敵意的世界裡，我們幾乎都會認為自己只是微不足道的小角色，影響力微乎其微。面對巨大邪惡時，我們又能做甚麼呢？令人遺憾的是，我們大多數人可能感到極其無助，以致選擇不採取任何建設性的行動，而只是詛咒這片黑暗。
但感謝天主，我們還有復活節！主耶穌的復活意味著，良善、真理與愛最終會勝過邪惡。生命的芬芳最終會驅散死亡的惡臭。關鍵在於，我們要堅信生命與良善所帶來的總體益處，會勝過死亡與邪惡所造成的傷害。
相信生命與美善，意味著要同時在頭腦和心靈上擁抱它們，並透過行動實踐出來。若我們希望這世界有一個新開始，就必須遠離「奸詐與邪惡」的舊酵母。我認為，舊酵母也包括那任由絕望吞噬自己，又或是成為那嘲諷、仇恨與破壞性批評的民兵。我們必須遏止仇恨與暴力蔓延，特別是透過社交媒體的傳播，無論它們表面上看似多吸引。
要重申，暴力只會帶來暴力，絕不會帶來和平。人們要自問：當今世上，既然還有其他和平或破壞力較小的方法可用，或是我們尚未竭盡一切可能。那麼，是否還存在「正義戰爭」這回事？香港的情況又怎樣？根據「香港大學香港賽馬會防止自殺研究中心」的資料顯示，對比2023年，在2024年15至24歲年齡組別的自殺個案仍然高企，年輕成年男性的自殺個案則有所上升。可幸其他年齡組別的個案，在2024年有所下降。最新的數據亦預計2025年15至24歲年齡組別的自殺個案沒有增加。這可能源於社會意識有所提升，社會支援有所增加等因素。事實上，復活節激勵我們不要放棄希望，也不要向絕望屈服。這為我們年輕一代尤其重要。
當一切看似黑暗並且迷失時，要堅信光明就在不遠處。我們只需起步前行，並邀請夥伴與我們同行。天主是生命與愛，祂深愛我們每一個人、尤其是青年，祂絕不會拋棄我們。天使正透過大家身邊的善心人，向我們伸出援手，即使我們當下無法認出他們來。要知道，除非我們甘於就範，惡魔是無法吞噬我們的。每當我們投靠復活的主，祂那賦予生命的力量必能保護我們。
我在這裡籲請各家長與各學校，要保護我們的孩子，不要讓他們消耗生命，墮入讓人盲目的競爭文化當中——雖然有少數學生能夠適應這種文化。若我們不再執意讓孩子與同儕比較，而是讓他們與自己比較，從中得益更大。這需要由家長開始，因為他們的焦慮大多源於自己與其他家長比較，又或把孩子與別的孩子比較，擔心自己的孩子競爭力變得弱 。
透過「自我比較」去達致個人成長，能夠為青年提供更多的喘息機會與成長空間，也讓他們發掘自身的天賦與才能。這些改變所產生的連鎖效應，有助改變現有的壓抑文化，為兒童和青年帶來新鮮空氣，讓他們在希望中茁壯成長。我們要擺脫以下這種憂慮：青年可能因為在許多學校裡極高要求的校園文化，而訴諸自我傷害。自然流失的法則不應套用在我們的學生身上，為教育界更是不應該。每一個生命都具有尊嚴與價值，這都是超越成就的。
我籲請政府領導人減少使用「關鍵績效指標」（KPI），讓教育工作者有更多時間與空間，更好地陪伴學生。單靠增加經費來聘請額外的文職及專業服務，不能實質地減輕教育工作者的負擔。不斷追求「增值」，只會令人筋疲力盡和分心。
「關鍵績效指標」沒有強調好些重要的價值，這些價值卻對青年的健康發展非常重要。例如，他們的心理—靈性健康，以及他們對自身能塑造理想未來的信念。我們都希望在學生身上見證到復活的喜悅，而不是恒常的痛苦與絕望。
關鍵績效指標之外，我籲請政府及社會領袖，為違反了法律的青年提供重新開始的機會。這有助他們對社會重拾亟其需要的希望與信心。擱置了幾年的調查工作對他們仍然帶來風險，因此影響著他們的精神健康。犯罪紀錄、即使是相對輕微的、也削弱及阻礙他們發展事業。難道我們不能制訂一些法律條文，幫助那些犯下輕微罪行而又服完刑期的人繼續追求他們的專業嗎？我們可以幫助他們重拾對社會的信心，並重建對美好將來的希望。再一次說，復活的喜樂與希望對他們來說，不應是難以得到的奢侈品。
這復活節文告行將作結，我們可無從預知當大家讀到或得悉這文告時，世界會變得怎樣，但請不要讓自己或我們的年輕一代向絕望屈服，更不要讓他們選擇報復性的仇恨與暴力。要堅信愛的力量，它是希望的根基。
我們的主復活了！祝大家有一個充滿希望的復活節。
＋周守仁樞機
Easter Message 2026
His Eminence Stephen Cardinal Chow
Bishop of Hong Kong
For our paschal lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed. Therefore, let us celebrate the feast, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. (1 Corinthians 5:7b-8) To all the fellow residents and dwellers of Hong Kong, as I write this Easter Message, the wars and conflicts in the Middle East, with the possibility of spillover to other parts of the world, do not allow us to be optimistic of the conflicts ending soon.
Honestly, I do not know what our world will be like on Easter Sunday. Given the devastating acts of the aggressors and the maddening hate of the one being attacked, to where are they dragging the rest of the world? Not towards a nuclear disaster or a living hell, we hope. Let us earnestly pray for God’s deliverance.
Yet, as fellow global citizens, we cannot and should not wait helplessly for these horrific possibilities to become reality. If not, we could be counted among those partly responsible for the disastrous outcome, even if only for a very small part of it. For everyone contributes, positively or negatively, knowingly or unknowingly, to the human consciousness in his or her communities, society, country, or even neighbouring regions. Hence, if many of us feel and act negatively towards our neighbours, how would the chain effects affect the region or even the world in which we reside?
In other words, what can we do to ease the tension in our own communities, which will eventually affect the global sentiment? I think almost all of us would consider ourselves insignificant players with negligible impact in this overwhelmingly hostile world. What good can we do when we are facing immense evil? The sad part is that most of us may feel so helpless that we choose to do nothing constructive but curse the darkness.
But thank God that there is Easter! The Resurrection of the Lord Jesus means that goodness, truth and love will ultimately overcome evil. The fragrance of life will eventually dispel the stench of death. What is pivotal is our conviction in the summative benefits of life and goodness over the extent of damage incurred by death and evil. Believing in life and goodness means embodying it not only in the head but also in the heart and through one’s actions. If we want our world to enjoy a new beginning, we need to stay away from the old yeast of “malice and wickedness.” And I would include the old yeast of allowing ourselves to be consumed by hopelessness, or joining the militia of cynical, hateful and destructive criticism. Therefore, we need to halt the spreading of hate and violence, through social media in particular, no matter how desirable it might appear to be.
Again, violence begets violence, never peace. One should wonder whether there can be just wars nowadays when other peaceful or less destructive means are available, or whether just have not yet been exhausted.
How about Hong Kong? According to The Hong Kong Jockey Club Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention at HKU, in 2024, suicide cases among the 15 to 24 age group, and among young adult males, remained just as high and rising respectively when compared with 2023. But the cases for the rest of Hong Kong decreased in 2024. Recent updates also indicate no increase in suicide cases in these age groups in 2025. This may be due to, but is not confined to, improved awareness and social support in our society. Indeed, Easter exhorts us not to give up hope or succumb to hopelessness. And this is particularly important for our younger generations.
When all seems dark and lost, have faith that light is not far away. We only need to get up and walk, and invite our peers to walk with us. The God of Life and Love, who loves everyone of us, especially our young people, will never forsake us. Angels are reaching out through the good people around us, though we might not recognise them readily. Please know that demons cannot consume us unless we allow them to do so. The life-giving power of the Lord of Easter can protect us whenever we take shelter in him.
Allow me to call on parents and schools to protect our children by not allowing them to go under the life-sapping and blindingly competitive culture, although a relatively small number of students may thrive in it. It will be more helpful if our children and young people are not intently compared with each other but with their own selves. This will need to start with our parents, whose anxiety largely stems from comparing themselves with other parents or comparing their children with the children of other parents, worrying that their children would become less competitive.
Emphasising personal betterment through self-comparison will provide our young people more room to breathe and space to grow, while discovering their own gifts and talents. Chain effects from such changes will help transform the existing suffocating culture, bringing fresh air for our children and young people to thrive with hope. Let us be free from the worry that our young people may resort to self-harming measures due to the highly demanding culture of schooling in many schools. The law of natural attrition should not be applied to our students, certainly not in education. Every life has its own dignity and value that rise well beyond achievements.
And I call on our leaders in the government to reduce the use of “Key Performance Indicator” (KPI) so as to allow our educators more time and space to better accompany their students. An increase in funding to recruit extra clerical and professional services alone cannot meaningfully ease the burden on our educators. Continuing demands for “value-addedness” are simply exhausting and distracting.
There are important values which are not emphasised with KPIs but are crucial for the healthy development of our young people. For example, their psycho-spiritual well-being and conviction in their ability to shape their own desirable future. I believe we all want to witness the joy of Easter among our students, not constant suffering and hopelessness.
Besides KPIs, I call on our government and civic leaders to give our young people who have been in trouble with the law a second chance to start anew. This will allow them to have the much-needed hope and faith in our society. Investigations put aside in the past couple of years remain threatening to them, which in turn, has taken its toll on their mental health. Criminal records, even relatively minor ones, are crippling barriers to their career pursuits. Can we not identify some legal provisions to help those whose crimes are minor and who have served their sentences to continue pursuing their careers? We can help them regain faith in society and reconstruct hope for their desirable future. Again, Easter joy and hope should not be an unattainable luxury for them.
Before I finish this Easter Message, not knowing what our world will be like when we read or hear about it, please do not let ourselves or our young ones succumb to hopelessness, or worse still, resort to vengeful hate and violence. Have faith in the power of love that should form the basis of hope.
Our Lord is risen indeed! A hope-filled Easter to you all!
+ Stephen Cardinal Chow, S.J.
來源：天主教香港教區；香港天主教社會傳播處
