Elizabeth Ong, who studied Canon Law at Good Shepherd College, is the first married woman to be appointed by the Apostolic Signatura as a judge of canon law cases for the Catholic Church in New Zealand.

In New Zealand the diocesan ecclesiastical courts deal mainly with marriage cases, declarations of nullity or annulments. However this tribunal also deals with cases of rights within the church, such as disputes between a parish and the diocesan authorities. There are even trials for priests accused of misconduct. Elizabeth now has the competency to be a judge for any of these cases.