Dally Messenger III

Dally R. Messenger STB, LCP, BEd, DipLib, GDCel, ALAA. Foundation Secretary of the Association of Civil Marriage Celebrants of Australia (1975-1980). Foundation President of the Australian Association of Funeral Celebrants (1978). Foundation President and administrator of the Australian Federation of Civil Celebrants (1994-1999). Life Member of the Australian Federation of Civil Celebrants (1996). Life Member of the Celebrants and Celebrations Network (2014). Principal of the International College of Celebrancy (current). Celebrant Books: Ceremonies & Celebrations (Hachette),Murphy’s Law And The Pursuit Of Happiness: A History Of The Civil Celebrant Movement (Spectrum).

Recent articles by Dally Messenger III

50 years of Civil Celebrants in Australia

50 years of Civil Celebrants in Australia

On July 19, 2023, Australia celebrated the 50th anniversary of civil celebrancy. In her captivating book on Lionel Murphy's life, Dr. Jennifer Hocking recounts how Murphy, almost single-handedly, persisted for several years to achieve the groundbreaking reform of no-fault divorce. It was an arduous and contentious struggle. As a corollary to no-fault divorce Murphy was also very conscious of the indignity of secular marriage ceremonies. Persons who did not believe in religion, and divorced persons who had been rejected by the churches, only had one option -the notorious registry office. Allow me to describe the scene. The...