主題：全民退休保障計劃
今天，教會慶祝聖體聖血節，所讀的福音是有關「五餅二魚」的神蹟，四部福音也有記載此事。請大家注意耶穌的工作次序，耶穌是先講論天國的道理，治好急需治療的人的病（路9:11），纔行「五餅二魚」的神蹟。很清楚，耶穌率先照顧天父與世人的關係，給群眾講論天父與人和好的福音，繼而修補罪人缺陷，與天父和好；然後賜與日用的食糧。同樣，在彌撒中，我們首先悔罪，聆聽天主的聖言，纔舉行聖祭，分享聖體聖事，天賜的神糧。這神糧比舊約時代的「瑪納」和神蹟中的「五餅二魚」更寶貴，因為它是耶穌基督的體血。聖體聖事就是標記著這份毫無保留的愛情。耶穌為世人贖罪而死在十字架上，固然是耶穌對人類偉大的愛的表現。不過，耶穌在聖體聖事中的真實臨現，把自己變成信徒的食糧，豈不是更奇妙、更偉大的愛情嗎？在聖體櫃中，耶穌是多麼渴望有人能到聖體櫃前祈禱，和祂談心，是多麼渴望有人領聖體，在彌撒後，帶祂到外面的世界，去祝福這個世界，醫治這個世界。
這個世界受到罪惡的污染，耶穌基督以自己的死亡和復活，保証了基督徒與罪惡的鬥爭，會獲得最後勝利。但這場與罪惡的周旋，仍需要每一世代的基督徒，勇敢地在自己的生活崗位上，堅守基督的立場；或者團結在同一戰線上，與世俗的錯謬搏鬥。我們領洗時，領受了耶穌基督的三重職務，即君王、先知和司祭。這一刻我們在聖堂祈禱參加彌撒，我們正在履行司祭職。在彌撒後，當我們離開聖堂，在社會上捍衛耶穌的教訓，斥責世俗的錯謬時，我們正在履行君王職和先知職。我們不能永遠躲在聖堂裡，祗履行司祭職。俗世的政治會找我們麻煩，或者傷害我們身邊的人。因此，我們不得不履行君王的職務，拓展天國，替天行道；不得不履行先知的職務，代表天主發言，教導愚蒙。
香港現時面對「人口急劇老化」的問題，不是一朝一夕產生的，而是以往的政府，一直在逃避責任所遺留下來的問題。自從上世紀六十年代起，已有社會工作系的學者，向政府提出「中央公積金」的建議，不了了之。二十五年前，陳志明副主教又加入了教會的聲音，履行教會的先知角色。當時的港英政府因為九七回歸，並不熱衷「全民退休保障」。特區政府成立之後，纔於2000年12月推出由私人機構營運的「強積金」計劃，太遲、太少了，祗是聊勝於無。再加上商界以「長期服務金／遣散費」與「強積金」對沖，削弱了「強積金」的退休保障能力。
今天的香港社會，充滿著自私自利的氣氛。那些既得利益者，到處散播錯誤的思想，目的在於保護自己的利益。今天的主流思想是「功利主義」，祗看成本效益，而妄顧公義和道德。為了保障自己的利益，甚麼禮義廉恥也可以不顧。
你自然會問，「不設資產審查」豈不是違反公義嗎？把派給富長者的養老金，分給窮長者，不是令更多窮長者得更大的利益嗎？這種「功利主義」的論調，與猶達斯同一咀臉（若12:4-6）。為甚麼教會支持的方案，會不設資產審查，篩走不需要養老金的富長者呢？
讓我們從宏觀的角度看看，且看澳門的例子，我們認為她的經濟不健康，因為大部份的資金投放在賭業，其他的行業和服務，得不到應有的資源。香港的投資模式也並不健康。很多的資金，都流向和凍結在賺快錢的股票和樓宇買賣的市場內。不健康是因為這些股票或樓宇的增值，祗是一個投機炒賣得來的表面增值，是賭博的假象而不是真正的增值。另一方面，回報率小而慢的，例如醫療、教育、福利、體育藝術和宗教等，改善生活質素的領域，祗能靠政府和教會慈善事工作，投放資源，能力有限。所以政府由牽頭，加上大企業的參予，推行「全民退休保障」，是針對「人口急激老化」的合時政策，因為它把來自政府的盈餘和企業的資金投入市場，開發安老事業，增加就業機會。有生意做、有入息，僱主與僱員可以繼續供款，使整個投資，朝健康的方向，持續地開展下去。
各位兄弟姊妹，雖然香港教區全力支持「全民退休保障」，但是大家是有自由不同意這個立場或其中的細節。不過，駝鳥政策已不再是選擇了。請大家多關注，多認識。教區屬下的組織，正聯同社會上各界關心退休保障的人士，收集簽名，計劃在六月刋登報紙，要求政府推行「全民退休保障」，履行基督徒的先知職。彌撒後，歡迎大家到大堂簽名。
另一方面，社會福利署為長者，提供了一些保障。計有俗稱「生果金」的「高齡津貼」，每月$1235。65至69歲，要通過資產審查纔能領取。年滿70就不用審查了。另一個是「長者生活津貼」，每月$2390。65歲或以上人士，一律要經過資產查纔可領取。最後是為長者的綜援。上述三種長者的社會福利，是不能同時領取的。生活在香港的長者，就祗有靠自己的積蓄、退休金、強積金；子女的供養和社會福利署的長者生活津貼，去度過晚年的歲月。可以安心嗎？可以有尊嚴地生活嗎？
天主教會秉承聖經的教導，倡議不設資產審查的「全民退休保障」。姑且稱它為「養老金」，大約每月$3600，由政府、大企業、僱主和僱員一同供款。這個方案的優點，在於「全民退保」可以立刻出爐，不像「強積金」要等三四十年纔見效。而且是可以持續發展的。
首先，資產審查增加了運作的成本。節省下來的少許金錢，卻浪費在行政費用上，得不償失。
其次，資產審查設下了障礙，反而使真正有需要人得不到幫助。「綜援」的實施就是一個明顯的例子。很多有困難的人，寧願自食其力，節衣縮食，亦不願被「綜援」標籤。香港的確有貪小便宜的人，但亦有很多有骨氣的人。
最後，政府所有的房屋、教育、醫療、福利等的支出，不像金融的投資，大部份是回流到香港的經濟體系。例如建築工人、教師、醫生的薪金、長者和傷殘人的津貼。他們拿這些薪金、養老金，在衣食住行上消費。無論你是富有抑或貧窮，祗要你在本港消費，這些政府的福利支出，仍然在香港的經濟體系之內流通。因此，篩去富長者，結果祗會少了資金流入市場，與公義完全扯不上關係。
天主保祐。
Feast of Corpus Christi (Year C)
Theme: Universal Retirement Protection Scheme
The Church celebrates the Feast of Corpus Christi today. Gospel readings of all three cycles talk about the miracle of five loaves and two fish. I would like to draw your attention to the sequence of Jesus' actions. First of all, he spoke to them about the Kingdom God, and cured those who had need of healing (Luke 9:11). Only after that did he perform the miracle. It was very clear that Jesus gave the relation between the Father and humanity the first priority. He told them the gospel of reconciliation, mended the shortcomings of sinners to help them reconcile with the Father. Only then did he give the people their daily bread. Similarly, in masses, we begin with the rite of penitence, then listen to the Word of God and after that, we celebrate the Eucharistic sacrifice, share the Holy Communion, the angelic food from heavens. This food is more precious than the manna in the Old Testament and the five loaves and two fish in the miracle because it is the body and blood of Jesus Christ. This sacrament is the sign of an unreserved love. His death on the cross to repay our debts was indeed a great love for humanity. But isn't his real presence in the sacrament, making himself the food of the faithful an even greater and more miraculous expression of his love? Inside the tabernacle, before which, how much does Jesus desire for somebody praying and to engage in a dialogue with that person, how much more does he want somebody to receive him, and after mass, brings him out to the world to bless it, to heal it?
This world has been contaminated by sins. Jesus' death and resurrection guarantee us the final victory over sins. But this struggle requires Christians of all generations to stand firm in their daily stations on the stance of Christ; or to form a united front to fight against the fallacies of the secular world. When we were baptized, we shared the threefold ministry of Jesus Christ: kingship, prophethood and priesthood. At this moment, we are praying and celebrating mass in the Church. We are discharging our priestly obligations. After mass when we go out, we defend Jesus' teachings in the society and refute secular fallacies, we are discharging our kingly and prophetic obligations. We can never hide ourselves inside the sanctuary of the Church to perform our priestly duties only. Secular politics would knock at our doors to give us troubles or to harm our beloved ones. Therefore, we cannot but to discharge our kingly duties to extend the Kingdom of Heaven and to perform God's will; our prophetic duties to speak God's words and teach the ignorant.
Hong Kong is facing the problem of a rapidly aging population. This problem does not appear overnight. It is the result of persistent procrastination on the part of the government for decades. In the sixties of the last century, scholars submitted proposals of "Centralized Provident Fund" to the government to no avail. A quarter of a century ago, Fr. Dominic Chan weighed in with the voice of the Church to perform her prophetic duty. At that time, the government was more concerned about the Handover in 1997 and less enthusiastic about a comprehensive retirement protection scheme. After the establishment of the HKSAR, the government implemented a privately run "Mandatory Provident Fund" scheme in December 2000, a scheme which was too late and too little but better than nothing. Moreover, employers offset the effectiveness of MPF with Long Service Payments/Severance, thus reducing its capacity to protect retirement.
Today, Hong Kong is saturated with a selfish atmosphere. Those who want to retain the state quo spread fallacies to protect their self-interests. Utilitarianism is the mainstream philosophy. People only look at utility and ignore justice and moral. Morality becomes dispensable when it comes to the protection of self-interests.
Naturally, you will ask whether it is fair not to ask applicants to pass the means test. Giving this Senior Allowance due rich old men to poor old men will benefit more poor old men. This utilitarian approach is a blatant Judas mentality (John 12:4-6)! Why then does the Church support a scheme which does not sieve away the rich old men who do not need Senior Allowance?
From a macro level, let's take a look at the Macau case. We opine that the Macau economy is unhealthy because most of the capital is invested in gambling so much so that other services do not get resources they deserve. The investment model in Hong Kong is no better. Much of the capital is invested and frozen in stock and property speculations whose return is fast. It is unhealthy because the value added is an illusion of speculation rather than an actual increase in value. On the other hand, those areas where returns are small and slow such as medicine, education, sports, arts and religions which aim at improving the quality of life, receive deprived attention which mainly comes from the government and religious charities. The resources and capacity are limited. Therefore, it is appropriate for the government to take the lead and encourage the corporations to participate in a universal retirement protection scheme to handle the problems of a rapidly aging population. Capital from government surplus and corporation is injected into the market to develop services for the aging and increase employment. Where there is business, there is income. Employers and employees may continue to contribute. The whole investment is able to sustain and develop in a healthy direction.
Brethren, although the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong fully supports a universal retirement protection scheme, you are free to disagree with the stance or its details. But burying your head in the sand is no longer an option. Pay more attention and know more about the issue. Several diocesan commissions and bureaux work with other people of good will in the society to collect signatures and plan to publish a declaration in a newspaper to urge the government to implement universal retirement protection in June. We are discharging our prophetic obligations. Please sign up after mass.
On the other hand, the Social Welfare Department offers some allowances for senior citizens. An Old Age Allowance of $1235 is given to citizens aging 70 or above; or aging 65 to 69 who pass the means test. An Old Age Living Allowance of $2390 is given to citizens aging 65 or above who pass the means test. The last one is Comprehensive Social Security Allowance for needy elderly. People can only get one of these three. Thus senior citizens living in Hong Kong have to rely on their own savings, retirement gratuity, MPF, their children and the SWD allowance to live out their remaining days. Can they feel secured? Can they lead a decently dignified life?
The Catholic Church follows the teachings of the Bible and advocates a universal retirement protection scheme without means test. Let's call this $3600 per month "Senior Allowance" which is contributed by the Government, corporations, employers and employees. The merit of this scheme is that, unlike MPF which takes three to four decades to be effective, it can be immediately effective and is sustainable.
First of all, means test increases the costs of implementation. The money saved is offset by administrative costs. We spend more than we save.
Secondly, means test is an obstacle for those who are truly in need to come forth and seek help. The example of CSSA is a crystal clear. Many needy people prefer hard-earning a living and eating less to being labelled by CSSA. While there are some who are keen on gaining petty advantages, there are far more people who have backbone.
Lastly, unlike financial investments, government expenditures on housing, education, medicine and social welfare etc. will flow back into the Hong Kong economy. For example, the salaries of construction workers, teachers, doctors and allowances for senior citizens and physically disabled will be spent in local consumptions such as clothing, food, rent and transportation. Whether you are rich or poor, so long as you spend in Hong Kong, the social welfare expenditures of the government will circulate in the Hong Kong economy. Therefore, sieving away the rich will result in less capital injecting into the market. There is nothing to do with justice.
God bless.
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