AMOR, or Asia-Oceania Meeting of Religious, is a prevalently female forum that fosters public voice on agreed issues of common concern, to establish solidarity among religious and their collaborators in the Asia-Oceania region.
Around 80 participants attended, the majority from Indonesia, with smaller numbers from: Korea, Taiwan, Macau, Hong Kong, Thailand, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, the Philippines and New Zealand. Australian-born Sr Oonah was well placed to attend the conference, having worked on projects in support of women in the Philippines for over 25 years.
Sister Oonah is greeted at a meeting of Superior Generals who attended the conference.
One of the characteristics of AMOR is its flexible framework. It has no permanent leadership; each conference is organised by natives of the host country. While this lack of formal structure can give rise to challenges concerning co-ordination of the post-conference response, it does offer opportunities, giving the organisers free reign to create a forum for exchange of experience and ideas of both geographical and temporal relevance, making for an event that has true meaning in the here and now.
This resonates for the Sisters of Our Lady of Sion, who favour a collegial approach to decision-making, strive to become immersed in the contexts they live in, and review their ministry constantly according to the needs of the Church and the world in the present time.
AMOR was born in the 1970s out of a recognition that although women religious in Asia shared similar experiences, missions and goals, they were living and working in isolation from each other. Because of this, their voice for justice and peace was not being heard. Over the past half-century, AMOR has given visibility to the character of religious life in the Asia-Oceania region, with special attention to the host country. Social justice and ecology have been recurring topics in the women-centred debate. The last conference in 2017 in Myanmar was on the theme of global ecological conversion. It came shortly after publication of Pope Francis’s encyclical on the natural environment, Laudato Si, which called people to live out their faith by caring for our common home.
This 18th edition was entitled: “Promoting Ecological and Human Fraternity for Synodal Church in Asia-Oceania”. The theme denotes the bridge between environmental sustainability and human rights, and the growing awareness that one cannot live without the other. This, in the context of a Church where listening is mutual and everyone has something to learn.
The conference format combined keynote speeches with local examples of human and ecological fraternity in practice. Proceedings began with some background information about Indonesia, fourth most populous country in the world, consisting of about 87% Muslims, 11% Christians and smaller communities of Hindus, Buddhists and other religions.
In his speech on Day 1, Mgr Robertus Rubiyatmoko talked about synodality and the significance of walking together in Indonesia, a country characterised by diversity in ethnicity, culture, customs, language and religion.
“The Catholic Church in Indonesia upholds the motto ‘Unity in Diversity’,” he said. “Harmony and tolerance are part of the teachings of love that must be lived by all Catholics, including clergy and consecrated life members,” he said.
On Day 2, Alissa Wahid shared some of her experiences of encounter, justice, solidarity and hope as a member of Nahdlatul Ulama, an Islamic organisation and charitable body in Indonesia. One of the examples she gave was the concerted interfaith response when Covid-19 hit Indonesia. That instance saw fundraising and recruitment of volunteers across faith communities to deliver basic necessities to the most vulnerable.
The conference programme included a trip to Pondok Pesantren Sunan Pandanaran, an Islamic boarding school committed to interfaith harmony. The school day consists of study of the Qur’an, academic learning and cultural activities. Pandanaran engages in interreligious dialogue through exchange programmes, visits and events.
A band greets the conference participants at Pandanaran school.
In his presentation, Mgr Adrianus Sunarko laid bare the strategies of self-interest pursued at global level by many in the face of others’ indifference, to the detriment of the environment and society. He offered starting points to establish balance and justice in relationships with fellow humans and with the Earth.
Participants saw the mutually beneficial relationship between humans and their environment during a visit to a farm that practises permaculture: a self-sufficient approach to agriculture. Bumi Langit Farm follows the natural cycle of the ecosystem, linking food, shelter, energy, waste systems and community with each other, so that each element feeds the next in a mutually co-operative process based on the Sunnatullah concept of sustainability.
The group visits Bumi Langit Farm.
Another high point of the conference was a presentation of Talitha Kum, the International Network of Consecrated Life Against Human Trafficking.
Each day, the participants met in groups to reflect on the day and develop action plans. Towards the end of the five-day conference, the subject of where to hold the next AMOR was broached. Sisters from the three countries put forward will take the discussion back to their local Conference of Religious for further discernment.
A reflection group gives their feedback in a plenary session.
Many of the 80 participants expressed their delight at being at AMOR. It is hoped they will return to their homes with a sense of collective mission they can share with their local congregations, to grow their service to the Church and the wider society.