Reverend Fr. James E. Goode, OFM, Ph.D.
African American Catholic Evangelist

Highlights

Father James E. Goode, OFM, Ph.D. is the Pastoral Director of Solid Ground Franciscan Ministry, an evangelization ministry with African American Families and the founder and president of the National Black Catholic Apostolate for Life. He is the leading Black Catholic Evangelist in the United States.  He is known as the “Dean of Black Catholic preachers”, having preached the first Black Catholic Revival in America (1974).  He has preached the gospel message of “Blessed Assurance” and the dignity of all human life throughout the world.  In 1989, he inaugurated the National Day of Prayer for the African American Family, which is celebrated on the first Sunday of Black History Month.

Franciscan Father Jim Goode is a proud member of the Franciscan Family of Franciscan Friars- Province of the Immaculate Conception.  He is a native of Raonoke, Virginia and when ordained in May 1972 at the Shrine Church of St. Anthony in New York City, he became the first Black Catholic priest from the City of Roanoke. He holds B.A. degree in Philosophy from the Immaculate Conception Seminary, University of the State of New York, a Master of Divinity &, Masters of Theology degree from St. Anthony’s Theological Seminary, University of the State of New York, Master of Arts degree in Psychology, from the College of St. Rose, a Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology from Union Graduate School.  A Doctor of Humane Letters (honorary) Virginia Theological Seminary. He has completed postgraduate studies from New York University School of Education, Georgetown University and the University of Lou vain. He was a Research Fellow at Yale Divinity School.

God has used Franciscan Fr. Jim Goode’s vocation in many grace filled ways to inspire and improve
the lives of thousands.  To list just a few:

-     Instructor, Serra High School- McKeesport, Pennsylvania

-     Black Catholic Ministries- Diocese of Pittsburgh

-    Founding Pastor & first Black pastor of Our Lady of Charity Faith Community of Blacks Catholics – Diocese of Brooklyn

-     Established the first Black Catholic Lay Leadership Development Program – Ministers of Service in the Diocese of Brooklyn at Charity.

-     Commissioned three historical Black Catholic Murals to be placed in the Church of
Our Lady of Charity: 1.) The Map of Africa, the slave ships and the Black Family-artist
James Maxwell, 2.)  The Black Madonna surrounded by Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman and Fr. Andy Jackson, O.C.S.O. – artist Tucker Wallace.

-    3.) The Resurrected Black Christ with the Bridges of Africa and Brooklyn – artist
Father Fernando Arizti, SJ

-    First President –Office of Black Catholics – Diocese of Brooklyn

-    Elected Member of the New York City School Board District #16 (two terms)

-    Led a Black Catholic Prayer March in front of the White House for Jobs for the unemployed.

-    Instructor- Immaculate Conception Seminary, Huntington, Long Island

-    Associate Professor- Medgar Evers College – Brooklyn, New York

-    Preacher Black American Voices in Rome- sponsored by the City of Rome, Italy
and the Vatican Congregation for Evangelization.

-    First African American Catholic Pastor – Archdiocese of San Francisco –
St. Paul of the Shipwreck Catholic Church

-    Commissioned the St. Paul of the Shipwreck Painting of
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., on the occasion of the first Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
National Holiday -artist- Fr. Rey V. Culaba, CSsR, Co- Pastor.

-    Coordinator- Black Catholic Affairs – Archdiocese of San Francisco.

- In collaboration with Fr. Rey Culaba, CSsR, the Co- Pastor at St. Paul of the Shipwreck - commissioned the “Resurrected Jesus of Planks and Pieces” 1989– artist Joseph Sharlow, Opelousas, Louisiana.

-   Chaired the first City of San Francisco Drug Abuse Conference

-    President San Francisco Housing Authority Commission

-   Commissioner – San Francisco Commission for Youth & Children & Families.

-   Member of the Official White House Delegation to welcome President Nelson Mandela of
South Africa to the United States at a White House Ceremony

-    Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity – Life Member

-    Chaplain Alpha Gamma Lambda Chapter –Life Member

-    Chairman, African American Voices for Justice and Peace

-    National Black Catholic Congress Board

-    Guardian, St. Clare Friary, New York City

-    Chaplain, Knight of Peter Claver Ladies Auxiliary Court #229

-     Chaplain, Knight of Peter Claver Fr. James E. Goode Court #229

-     Preacher at the U.N. Isaiah Wall for the “Liberation of the People of Sudan”

-    Created the St. Charles Lwanga & Companions New York’s Young Black Achievers
Evening Prayer and Award Ceremony

-     Member of the Provincial Council Province of the Immaculate Conception

-     Spiritual Consultant-Franciscan Handmaids of Mary

-     Commissioner- Office of Black Ministry- Archdiocese of New York

-     Spiritual Assistant & Founder Mother of God Franciscan Fraternity

-      President, National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus (two terms).

-      Board of Consultants United States Bishops Conference- Secretariat for
African American Catholics

-     Spiritual Moderator- Friends of Mother Henriette Delille- N.Y. Chapter

-     Distributes food and clothing weekly from St. Clare Friary – Solid Ground Franciscan Ministry
to the homeless and needy.

-  Preached and conducted over 300 Black Catholic Revivals – Convocations.

The awards and citations conferred upon Father Goode are too numerous to mention, but they include, two Congressional Record Citations, Accommodations from the Diocese of Pittsburgh, Diocese of Brooklyn, Archdiocese of San Francisco, Archdiocese of Detroit, Archdiocese of Chicago, Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Archdiocese of New York, Proclamations from the City of New York, the City of
San Francisco, Keys to the City of Roanoke, Virginia, Awarded Charity’s “Messiah 2000” Concert, becoming the first Roman Catholic priest to be honored at Lincoln Center and the recipient of the NBCCC Brother Joseph Davis Life Time Achievement Award 1996, and  2002,

Above all of his degrees, positions, and honors Jim Goode is determined to walk in the footsteps of Jesus and Francis, by feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, educating the young and old, caring for the sick and those living with HIV-AIDS, restoring hope to the victims of violence and abuse, mending together those who are broken, and standing up boldly for the sacredness of all human life and dignity every day.

If anybody knows Father Jim Goode you know that he enjoys the gift of laughter. He loves to laugh and tell stories.  He gets the greatest kick out of watching people laugh and feel real special about themselves.  This goes all the way to his childhood in Virginia.   He also loves to give and give unconditionally.  As someone has stated “he is a man with a big heart and a big soul and he ain’t ashamed to share it”.

 “This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long.”