Hope in Truth and Love
CANFP 15th Statewide Conference
October 3, 2026 in Carpinteria, California
Attendance is limited. Special pricing for CANFP members and seminarians.
Join Us!
Renewing hearts to witness the Gospel of Life to a world longing for the truth of love and marriage written by God on the human soul
Hosted by Regina Ranch, overlooking iconic Rincon Point. Enjoy the breathtaking view above—and the waves, Channel Islands and Santa Barbara—located near the quaint seaside town of Carpinteria.
Expanding our impact and ability to evangelize within our friends, families, colleagues, and faith communities, through our individual efforts and the strength of our united collaboration
Conference sponsorships are available, contact CANFP for more info!
What to Expect
- Featuring: Janet Smith, PhD Internationally respected scholar, speaker, and teacher known for her clarity, conviction, and decades of leadership in the fifield of faith, ethics, and family life, presenting: Contraception: Where Are We Now?
- Inspiring presentations which challenge, encourage, and renew
- Restorative day designed for learning, connection, and reflection
- Being fed intellectually and spiritually AND good food, drink, and fellowship!
Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026 Schedule*
| Time | Schedule | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| 9:00–9:25 a.m. | Check in | |
| 9:30 a.m. | Welcome | Gary Schuberg |
| 9:40 a.m. |
Opening Prayer and Keynote
Hope in Truth and Love
|
Fr. Blaise Berg, STD |
| 10:00 a.m. |
Morning Keynote:
Contraception Where Are We Now?
|
Janet Smith, PhD |
| 10:45 a.m. | Break | |
| 11:00 a.m. | Q&A with Professor Smith | |
| 11:30 a.m. |
CANFP: Providing Hope in Truth and Love
Calegari Award
|
Sheila St. John |
| 12:10 p.m. | Lunch and fellowship | |
| 1:30 p.m. |
Afternoon Keynote:
NaProTECHNOLOGY: Healing and Hope for Women
Q&A with Dr. Stigen
|
Theresa Stigen, MD |
| 2:30 p.m. | Break | |
| 2:45 p.m. | Speaker Q&A Panel | Fr. Blaise Berg, STD / Janet Smith, PhD / Sheila St. John / Theresa Stigen, MD |
| 3:30 p.m. | Closing Comments | Fr. Blaise Berg, STD |
| 4:00 p.m. | Mass | |
| 5:00 p.m. | Cocktails | |
| 6:00 p.m. | Dinner |
Register Early!
We do expect to reach capacity (100 attendees).
Lunch, cocktail reception, and dinner included in registration!
Rates below apply on a space available basis:
Registration
*Member Rate: $200
Non-Member: $220
Discounted Seminarian Rate:
$100
*Contact CANFP if uncertain of your membership status. Monthly and Annual membership subscriptions are available here.
Members and seminarians will receive coupons via email. Coupons must be used during registration to get membership pricing.
Refund Policy:
75% of registration fee will be refunded if requested by
Sept. 3rd. No refunds after Sept 3rd.
Overnight guests arrange their own lodging. The following are some of the many local options:
Best Western Plus Carpinteria Inn | 805- 684-0473
4558 Carpinteria Avenue, Carpinteria
Ventura Hotels*
Crowne Plaza Ventura Beach | 877 666 3243
450 East Harbor Blvd.
Pierpont Inn | 805-643-0245
550 Sanjon Road
Ventura Beach Marriott | 805-643-6000
2055 Harbor Blvd.
Residence Inn Ventura Beach | 805-618-2500
788 South Seaward Avenue
Comfort Inn | 805-350-7192
2094 East Harbor Blvd
*Ventura is 20 minute drive to conference site. Due to local event (California Avocado Festival) availability in nearby Carpinteria may be scarce.
Father Blaise Berg, STL, STD
President of CANFP and Assistant Professor of Dogmatics, at St. Patrick’s Seminary in Menlo Park, will open our day by placing it in the context of Hope in Truth and Love. Born the ninth of twelve children in Yuba City, California, Fr. Berg was ordained a priest in 1998. In addition to serving as Pastor of Thomas Aquinas Newman Center in Chico and several other parishes, he also served the Diocese of Sacramento as Vicar for Clergy, and Secretary to the Bishop and Vice Chancellor. Father Berg has served on the Natural Family Planning Advisory Board of the Diocese of Sacramento, as Chaplain for Rachel’s Vineyard Retreats, and on the Executive Board of the California Association of Natural Family Planning since 2003. Father Berg completed a baccalaureate degree in theology (S.T.B.) at the Gregorian University, Rome and licentiate (S.T.L.) and doctoral degrees in theology (S.T.D.) at the John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and the Family at the Lateran University, Rome.
Janet E. Smith, PhD
Retired from the Father McGivney Chair of Life Ethics at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, MI, is the author of Humanae Vitae: A Generation Later; A Right to Privacy, Life Issues, Medical Choices (with Christopher Kaczor); editor and contributor of numerous others, and is widely recognized as one of the most influential Catholic voices on the Church’s teaching regarding human sexuality and married love. More than two million copies of her landmark talk Contraception: Why Not have been distributed since its release in 1994. Now, more than thirty years later, Professor Smith joins us to address the timely follow-up question: “Contraception: Where Are We Now?” Professor Smith served three terms as a consulter to the Pontifical Council on the Family and eight years on the Anglican–Roman Catholic International Commission III (ARCIC III). In 2018, at the national celebration of the 50th anniversary of Humanae Vitae, she received the CANFP Calegari Award in recognition of her faithful service and unrivaled impact in converting hearts and minds to God’s design for married love.
*Free digital Mp3 of Dr. Smith’s iconic Contraception Why Not can be downloaded at https://janetsmith.org/product/contraception-why-not-digital-download/
Theresa Stigen, MD
A Catholic OB/GYN and professional member of CANFP, who, upon completion of the Pope John Paul II Fellowship in Medical and Surgical NaProTechnology at St. Paul VI Institute in Omaha in 2009, returned to her native California and opened Mystical Rose OB/GYN in Fallbrook. In her presentation NaProTECHNOLOGY: Healing and Hope for Women. Dr. Stigen will present an advanced medical and surgical approach to restoring normal function while respecting the dignity of the individuals and marriage. This approach offers hope, healing, health, and wholeness to women of all ages experiencing such issues as PMOS, PMS, painful periods, post partum depression, and peri-menopausal symptoms, as well as couples experiencing miscarriage and infertility.
