The Institute will cease operation on Monday 31 December 2018, as previously notified in the website announcement; Future of the John Paul II Institute for Marriage and Family, Melbourne.   A small staff consisting of the Dean and Registrar will continue to operate from the offices of the Institute, until a date decided upon by the Council, in order to complete the administrative actions necessary on closure.

A final graduation will be held on Thursday 11 April at 5.30pm in the Cathedral, for students who completed their studies in 2018.   Archbishop Comensoli, President of the Institute, will preside.  After the graduation there will be a reception in the Cathedral Room of the Cardinal Knox Centre.   Any student wishing to graduate in 2019, whether intending to attend the graduation ceremony or not, must apply to the Registrar by Friday 15 February 2019.

Former students and alumni may apply to the Registrar for copies of academic results transcripts and records until the final closure of the administrative offices of the Institute.  The procedure for applying for copies of academic results transcripts after the final closure of the administrative offices of the Institute will be advised.

The Archdiocese of Melbourne has been a proud sponsor of the John Paul II institute for Marriage and Family since its establishment in 2001.

During its 15 years of operation, the Institute has engaged students in the teaching of the theology of marriage and family, bioethics and religious education and catechetics at the highest standards. The Council of the Institute is proud of the contribution made by both faculty and students to the Church and the community. 

The Academic Board has decided that the final submission date for the acceptance of any coursework assignments, theses, and dissertations will be Friday 16 November.  However, if subject co-ordinators have set earlier submission dates these take precedence.

The Institute congratulates Rev. Dr. Paschal Corby on the award of the Sub auspiciis prize by the John Paul II Institute in Rome for the best doctoral thesis for the 2016-2017 academic year.

Associate Professor Adam Cooper will be appointed to the faculty of the Catholic Theological College, Melbourne, on the closure of the institute at the end of 2018. Until his appointment he is fully committed to continuing to teach, supervise, and support current students. The Director and Dean would like to thank Associate Professor Cooper for his support of the Institute over the last ten years and offer their best wishes for his future career.

Dr Gerard O’Shea has resigned from the Faculty of the Institute with effect from 19 March to take up the position of Professor of Education at the University of Notre Dame (Australia) in Sydney.  He will continue to be employed by the Institute on a sessional basis until the end of the Paschaltide semester.   The Director and Dean would like to thank Dr O’Shea for his support of the Institute over the last ten years and offer their best wishes for his future career.

Dr Owen Vyner has decided to leave the Institute and to return to the United States of America to re-settle permanently.  He will be taking up a position in the theology department at Christendom College, Front Royal, Virginia and begin teaching in late-August of this year. The Director and Dean would like to thank Dr Vyner for his support of the Institute over the last five and a half years and offer their best wishes for his future career.