We are pleased to announce that the 58th Annual Conference of the Canon Law Society of Australia and New Zealand will be held at the Adelaide Hilton, Adelaide, South Australia, from Monday 1st to Thursday 4th September 2025.
For registration and payment by invoice
for Single or Multiple delegates.
Use this form instead of the online registration system.
This year, the Executive is pleased to present a conference with excellent speakers on a broad range of topics.
Bishop Patrick O’Regan, DD, Archbishop of Adelaide will join us and present our first keynote presentation. Bishop Patrick participated in both the Plenary Council and the Synod and will offer his reflections on these two significant events and their influence on the Church in Australia and in the local Church.
Bernadette Tobin, MA (Melb) MEd (Melb) PhD (Cantab), of the Plunkett Institute. Dr Tobin will be speaking on Voluntary Assisted Dying, the developing law in Australia, and how the Church might engage with and respond to this very controversial moral issue.
Fr John Doherty, JCD, of the Archdiocese of Sydney will facilitate a special extended session on the penal process, especially the extra-judicial penal process. This session on Thursday morning (9am-12noon), is open to all conference participants. It may also be of interest to people who work in safeguarding and chanceries who often deal with penal processes relating to reserved delicts.
Michael Nobel, JCD, from St Paul University presenting on incapacity in giving consent to marriage as well as offering a workshop on the practicalities of instructing cases on incapacity.
Fr Peter Slack JCL, from the Diocese of Lismore will present on the canonical issues of civil incorporation of entities that carry out the apostolic works of the Church.
Fr Binh Le JCL, from the Archdiocese of Melbourne, will speak on the incardination of priests from different cultures for ministry in the Australian Church.
As many of our members are engaged in tribunal ministry, this year our workshops will again focus on this important ministry.
Sr Janette Murphy RSJ will offer a workshop on the assistance pastoral care of those of the deaf community who bring a cause of nullity.
Sue Rivett, JCL, of the Archdiocese of Adelaide, will present a workshop on instructing cases around the bonum coniugum.
We will again host a Q and A session with members of the Society to be invited to provide brief responses to your submitted questions.
The Conference cost covers the conference program, 3 nights’ accommodation, meals, and drinks with dinner. It will be a time to hear excellent speakers, participate in canonical conversations, and reconnect with colleagues.
Financial members of the CLSANZ:
Non-members and non-financial members of the CLSANZ:
Daily rates with limited access to the conference program are available.
| Monday, 1 September | ||
| 2.00pm | Registration opens | |
| 3.00pm | Fr Paul Clark, President | Welcome / Conference Opening and Prayer |
| 4.00pm | Most Rev Patrick O’Regan | Session 1:
Form following function: The Ecclesiological necessity of a ‘sure compass’. |
| Tuesday, 2 September | ||
| 9.00am | Morning Prayer | |
| 9.15am | Bernadette Tobin | Session 2:
Voluntary Assisted Dying: ethical and canonical issues for the Church |
| 11.45am | Michael Nobel | Session 3:
Canon 1095 Revisited: Juridical Criteria and Rotal Interpretation of Incapacity to Consent |
| 2.00pm |
Jeanette Murphy Michael Nobel
Sue Rivett JCL |
Session 4: Seminar presentations
1. Care of those in the Deaf Community in approaching marriage nullity 2. Psychological Incapacity and the Art of Evidence: A Canonical Workshop on Canon 1095 3. ‘The good of the spouses’ – which road do we take in a petition for nullity? |
| 3.30pm |
Q & A Session – Various |
Session 5:
Questions with prepared answers (7-10mins/answer) perhaps 5 questions on different canonical themes |
| 5.30pm | St Francis Xavier’s Cathedral, Adelaide | Mass for Deceased Members |
| Wednesday, 3 September | ||
| 9.00am | Morning Prayer | |
| 9.15am | Fr Peter Slack | Session 6:
Civil incorporation of the Church’s mission |
| 11.45am | Fr Binh Le
|
Session 7:
Formation of Priests from other cultures for ministry in the Australian Church |
| 2.00pm |
Jeanette Murphy Michael Nobel
Sue Rivett JCL |
Session 8: Seminar presentations
1. Care of those in the Deaf Community in approaching marriage nullity 2. Psychological Incapacity and the Art of Evidence: A Canonical Workshop on Canon 1095 3. ‘The good of the spouses’ – which road do we take in a petition for nullity? |
| 3.30pm | Session 9:
Annual General Meeting |
|
| 5.30pm | St Francis Xavier’s Cathedral, Adelaide | Conference Mass |
| Thursday, 4 September | ||
| 8.45am | Morning Prayer | |
| 9.00am | Facilitators:
Fr John Doherty and Fr Paul Clark |
Session 10:
Penal Law practicum. The Extra-judicial Penal Process Prof Dev. for judges/advocates and others interested |
| 11.00am/12.00pm | Conference Concludes | Checkout / Departure |
The Adelaide Hilton is located on Victoria Square in the heart of the city, and offers convenient access to Adelaide’s Central Market, cultural institutions, and the vibrant restaurant and arts precinct. With direct tram access at the doorstep, you will find it easy to explore the city. If you take an extended stay, the Adelaide Hills and nearby wine regions of McLaren Vale, the Barossa Valley, and the Clare Valley are within easy reach.
Please note that the Conference will be held face-to-face. It will not be presented on Zoom, nor will it be recorded for later viewing online. The text of the presentations will be published in the CLSANZ 2025 Conference Proceedings.
