Securely contained within St John the Baptist Cathedral in Turin, Northern Italy is the most scientifically scrutinised artefact in the world, the linen cloth known commonly as the Holy Shroud or the Turin Shroud. This linen cloth is believed by many to be the burial cloth of Jesus Christ. Certainly, scientific studies have confirmed that the cloth contained a crucified body.
The Australian Holy Shroud Conference 2025 intends to make available to the Australian public the most up-to-date findings on the Holy Shroud. In particular it will deal with the 1988 carbon dating issue and subsequent developments. Top-line international and local speakers will present the latest information on the Shroud.
What is the truth about the Shroud? Is it genuine? If genuine, what does it reveal to us about Jesus Christ and indeed about the nature of God? The Holy Shroud Conference offers people a chance to seek for themselves the truth about this artefact and its possible implications both personally and for contemporary society.
In this 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope, can this Holy Shroud provide a foundation for hope for each of us and for all of us? Come and see.
Conference Speakers
Most Rev Bishop Richard Umbers
On 25 June 2016, Pope Francis appointed Bishop Richard as auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Sydney and titular bishop of Thala in Tunisia. In the Archdiocese, he is the Episcopal Vicar for Evangelisation, the Liaison Bishop for Tertiary Education, a Trustee of the University of Notre Dame and the Deputy Chancellor of the Catholic Institute of Sydney. In November 2018, he took up his position on the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference’s Bishops Commission for Life, Family and Public Engagement.
Fr Andrew Dalton
A Catholic priest of the Legionaries of Christ and professor of theology at the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum in Rome, Fr Dalton has become well-known as an international speaker on the Shroud. He became a board member of Othonia, an international center of investigation on the Shroud, in 2017. In 2018, he worked with Shroud experts around the world to bring university-level studies to the English-speaking world. He teaches the Biblical Theology of the Passion of the Christ for the Science and Faith Institute, which works in collaboration with the International Centre of Shroud Studies in Turin and the Giulio Ricci Diocesan Centre of Shroud Studies in Rome. He has lectured on the Shroud of Turin and the sufferings of Christ all over the world, where his approach “bridges the gap between scientific observation and theological interpretation”.
David Rolfe
David Rolfe is best known as the director of the famous documentary film about the Shroud of Turin, The Silent Witness, which won a BAFTA award after it was shown in cinemas around the world. Rolfe’s exposure to the Shroud during the film’s production prompted his conversion from atheism to Christianity. Rolfe has since been recognised as one of the world’s leading experts on the Shroud. Among his films are three other documentaries on the Shroud: Shroud of Turin Material Evidence, A Grave Injustice, about the carbon dating, and Who Can He Be?
Dr Paul Morrissey
Dr Paul Morrissey became president of Campion College in 2015 after a career teaching theology and religious studies at university and high school. After completing his Licentiate in Sacred Theology at the Lateran University in Rome and his Doctorate at the Catholic Institute in Sydney, Paul taught systematic and moral theology at the University of Notre Dame for eight years. He has published numerous papers in New Blackfriars, Nova et Vetera, Logos and Solidarity.
William West
William West is one of Australia’s most experienced journalists. He spent more than 15 years at The Australian newspaper in many roles, including Legal writer and Editor of the national Higher Education section. He has been editor of several magazines, including Perspective magazine and Education Review. He is the author of Riddles of the Shroud: Questions Science Can’t Answer, and a new book to be published soon: The Shroud Rises, as the Carbon Date is Buried. His articles about the Shroud have appeared in the Sydney Catholic Weekly, the Brisbane Catholic Leader and at Mercatornet.com.
Conference Program
Date
Friday 27 June
Conference Dinner
6.00pm – Registration
6.30pm – Drinks
7.00pm – Introductory address by Rev. Bishop Richard Umbers
7.30pm – Dinner
8.00pm – Keynote address by Fr Andrew Dalton
9.00pm – Vote of thanks
9.30pm – Dessert, coffee, tea
10.00pm – Close
Support Event
Shroud exhibition
+ Full-length 1:1 scale replica of the Holy Shroud sourced from official STURP photographer the late Barrie Schwortz
+Thirty Shroud information panels
+Replica artefacts associated with the man of pain represented on the Shroud of Turin including the Crown of Thorns and instruments of the Passion (nails, spear head, flagrum)
Date
Saturday 28 June
Conference Proper
9.00am – Registration
10.00am – Welcome by Fr Brendan Murphy
10.15am – Presentation 1 by Mr. William West
10.55am – Morning tea
11.20am – Presentation 2 by Fr Andrew Dalton
12.00pm – Lunch
1.20pm – Presentation 3 by Mr. David Rolfe
2.00pm – Afternoon tea
2.35pm – Presentation 4 by Dr Paul Morrisey
3.00pm – Q&A session
3.45pm – Presentation to speakers
3.55pm – Closing address
4.00pm – Close
Support Event
Shroud exhibition
+ Full-length 1:1 scale replica of the Holy Shroud sourced from official STURP photographer the late Barrie Schwortz
+ Thirty Shroud information panels
+ Replica artefacts associated with the man of pain represented on the Shroud of Turin including the Crown of Thorns and instruments of the Passion (nails, spear head, flagrum)
Screening with Shroud film director – Theatre LCC
6.00pm – Screening with film director David Rolfe in immediate post Conference period at the Liverpool Catholic Club Theatre
The Holy Shroud Exhibtition
The Holy Shroud Conference 2025 will incorporate a special Exhibition space which will feature a full-sized replica of the Holy Shroud of Turin, a replica of the Crown of Thorns in the form indicated by the Holy Shroud, a replica of the Sudarium of Oviedo, and artefacts of Christ’s Passion including the nails, spear head, and flagrum used in the scourging.
The exhibition will utilise the high-quality resources seen most recently at the National Eucharistic Congress held in the United States in 2024 and developed by Othonia, the Rome-based international institute which works throughout the world to promote best practice in educating the public on the Holy Shroud of Turin.
Besides the aforementioned elements, the exhibition will also include 30 information panels which were developed with input from Shroud scholars from all over the world. The replica of the Holy Shroud featured in the exhibition was made by the Shroud of Turin Research Association (STERA) which was helmed by the late Barrie Schwortz, the photographer of the famed 1978 STURP research project which was undertaken at the time with the Vatican’s approval.
Conference Venue and Location
The conference will be held at Liverpool Catholic Club. 424-458 Hoxton Park Road, Liverpool West NSW 2170
Driving – There is ample free parking onsite if you choose to drive to Liverpool Catholic Club.
Public Transport – Liverpool Train Station is the closest station to the club. Once you arrive at the station the Liverpool-Parramatta T-Way bus operates in the local area. Stop #15 – MILLER is closest to the club.
Stay – Mercure Sydney Liverpool is located next to the club. Room reservation can be done via the Mercure website.
Conference attendees looking to secure accommodation for the duration of the Conference are kindly asked to call the hotel on +61 2 8777 0600 and quote “The Australian Holy Shroud Conference 2025 June 27/28” to secure a 12% discount on their accommodation booking.