Lectures of Fr. Calvin Goodwin, FSSP (1948-2021)

Fr. Goodwin’s life is a story that many priests–and indeed many laity–can relate to.

From his youth in the pre-Vatican II period to the sweeping liturgical changes that followed, from his entry into the Jesuits to his discovery of tradition and entrance into the FSSP, in many respects he was a personal distillation of the larger Latin Mass movement over the last half century.

This historical sweep is very present in Fr. Goodwin’s lectures, as collected here. Some of these talks are directed toward his fellow priests, but the rest are addressing the Catholic world in general, always with the talent of a true teacher.

We are reminded where the Latin Mass movement has been, from the 1960s tumult through the liturgical despoliation of the 1970s. How God granted the increase to the persistence of a few brave souls, nurturing a flickering flame of tradition into an international movement that patiently endured widespread scorn, prejudice, and hostility, and is now beginning to rise up and be recognized as one of the most powerful forces for ecclesial renewal.

As we remember Fr. Goodwin and pray for his immortal soul today, let us also thank God for his singular life and his wholehearted commitment to the restoration of Catholic tradition.