Do you know what the expression “generation of ’68” means? Have you heard about the Battle of Valle Giulia? Hippy nuns in California? The Lemon Pipers? Critical Theory? The national strike in France that almost brought down the government? 1968 was a watershed year in history, one whose influence on the Catholic Church and the western world is still directly felt today. It forever changed American and European politics and social norms, all the way down to the words you hear at Mass. But too little is known or remembered today about this pivotal year. At the 2024 Aquinas Lecture, Professor Tracey Rowland will present a summary of what happened in the church and the world in 1968 and why it still matters.