The 14th Meeting of the AMOR (Asia Oceania Meeting of Religious Women) took place at Aaron Retreat House, Gyeonggi-do, from April 24 to May 4.  One hundred religious women from 21 countries of Asia and Oceania participated in the meeting. The meeting was proceeded on the subject of "Mary and Religious Women  of Asia & Oceania - Contemplative Prophets", with the special reflection on Maria, the contemplative model with a universal humanity. The theme was subdivided into various dimensions, including the unification of South and , migrant workers, the ecology movement, and so on.  

The AMOR is a movement of Catholic religious women in Asia & Oceania, who dedicate themselves to the service of God and humanity. In the 1970s, the world became aware of the de-humanizing poverty of the majority of the earth's population. It was all started as a concrete response to the 1971 Synod of Bishops, which proclaimed, "Action on behalf of justice is integral to the mission of the Church and the preaching of the Gospel" (Justice in the World, Introduction).  

Sr. Gracia Kim Sook-hee (RSCJ), President of the preparing committee for the AMOR, said, "I hope this meeting would be a key factor in approaching to the poor and the marginalized in a positive, active and concrete way."  

In the opening address Sr. Mary Vincent (India), President of the AMOR, said that this meeting will be very helpful to carry out the contemplative and prophetic mission of religious in Asia & Oceania, and to recover their sense of identity. Besides, she remarked, “I hope that our meeting would produce enriching results to the extent that it is hosted in the land of Martyrs , which is proud of its dynamic power."  

The Rev. Matthias Chae Jun-ho, Provincial of SJ in , preached, "Religious, the gift from God, have been striving to practice contemplative and prophetic mission for propagation and the renewal of the Church since the Medieval time." in the homily of opening Mass on April 25.  

The AMOR holds a meeting every three years around each country in Asia & Oceania. This is the second meeting in since 1985.  

The 92nd Korean Migration Day Celebrated

On the occasion of the 92nd Korean Migration Day on April 30, 2006, the Most Rev. Vincent Ri Pyung-ho, President of the CBCK Committee for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerants (CPCMI), appealed to the faithful for being closer to the ever increasing migrants in Korea.  

Bishop Ri reflected on the reality of Korean society: After the Korean War, people regarded the United States of America as a fantastic paradise owing to the "C-ration" boxes issued from the U.S.A. Army. Now the pastoral subject on migrants is been changing from overseas Koreans to immigrant workers in Korea. And he urged the Catholics to live in communion with 500,000 migrant workers and 200,000 international marriage families in Korea, and to provide the pastoral care for them.  

In this respect, Exodus program, a training program for those in charge of the pastoral care of migrants, was arranged by the CPCMI at the "House of Grace" in Pusan from April 18 to 21. The participants could keep track of the reality, problems, and current trend of pastoral care of migrants through the Exodus program. There were 107 participants, including priests, religious and lay people from various groups in this field.  

Three subjects were focused in the training: The Challenge of Religious Diversity in Migration; Advocacy and Networking on Migrants' Issues; The Human Rights of Migrants.  

The Rev. Peter Chung Byung-jo, Secretary of the CPCMI, remarked, "Many  Catholics do not know the fact that the pastoral care of migrants includes pastoral care for immigrants, pastoral care for overseas Korean, pastoral care of seafarers, and pastoral care of tourists. Through this meeting I hope the people realize global village is one family."  

On this occasion the CPCMI has published New Exodus, the Korean translation of the resource guide for Exodus program published by Scalabrini Migration Center, the Philippines.