About John Goodman
Lived 1590 – 1645 (aged 54–55). John Goodman was a catholic priest and jesuit.
John Goodman (1590–1642) was a Welsh Jesuit novice and secular priest active in England. He was born in Denbighshire and graduated from St John's College, Cambridge, being ordained in the Church of England in 1618. He became a Catholic convert and seminary priest in France, around 1621, before returning to England on mission.
Goodman was jailed and sentenced to death under an Elizabethan penal law which made it illegal for Jesuits to be in England. He was granted a reprieve by Charles I but was questioned by the Long Parliament. Charles I did not interfere and Parliament was content to let Goodman die in prison in 1642.
John Goodman was declared venerable by Pope Leo XIII in 1886.
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Important facts
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Contemporaries
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Frequently asked questions
Who was John Goodman?
Welsh Jesuit
When was John Goodman born?
John Goodman was born in 1590 in Bangor.
When did John Goodman die?
John Goodman died in 1645 in England, Newgate Prison.
What was John Goodman's occupation?
John Goodman was a catholic priest and jesuit.
Sources & further reading
· DBpedia: John Goodman (Jesuit)
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). John Goodman. https://biography.guide/john-goodman-catholic-priest/
MLA: "John Goodman." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/john-goodman-catholic-priest/.
Chicago: "John Goodman." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/john-goodman-catholic-priest/.
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