"This book is a friendship telling its story. It is friends telling together their experience of friendship in the Lord."
Friendship isn't just a longing--it's a holy calling. We are made for deep, life-giving connection. Yet in a world overwhelmed by digital noise and surface-level interaction, many of us feel more isolated than ever. Friendship in the Lord offers a timeless, grace-filled response to that ache.
Originally published in 1974 and beloved by Catholics for decades, this spiritual classic by Dominican priest Fr. Paul Hinnebusch has been reprinted for a new generation--one that longs for meaningful connection but often doesn't know where to begin. Blending theological depth with heartfelt personal reflection, this book is a moving testament to the real-life beauty of friendship rooted in Christ.
With the wisdom of a teacher, the soul of a mystic, and the voice of a friend, Fr. Hinnebusch reveals how authentic friendship--when founded in the love of Christ--is a pathway to holiness and healing.
Through rich theological insight and powerful stories, you will
- discover how friendship, grounded in the grace of Christ, becomes a participation in the very life of the Trinity;
- learn why the Church--especially St. Thomas Aquinas--has long upheld the love of friendship as one of the most fitting images of our relationship with God;
- reflect on saintly friendships that transformed the Church through mutual encouragement, sacrifice, and prayer--like St. Catherine of Siena and Bl. Raymond of Capua, St. Jane Frances de Chantal and St. Francis de Sales, Bl. Jordan of Saxony and Bl. Diana d'Andalo, and St. Joseph and the Virgin Mary;
- reclaim the art of seeing, appreciating, and honoring others in a world that has forgotten how to love as Christ does.
As Fr. Hinnebusch writes, "Intimacy is a love which accepts me fully even when it sees that I am far from perfect . . . a love which always sees my potentialities for good and draws them to full blossom by the sun of appreciation."
In a culture of loneliness, Friendship in the Lord is a powerful, poetic invitation to rediscover the gift of holy friendship. Whether you're seeking to deepen a current relationship or wondering where to begin, this book offers the guidance and inspiration to find--and become--a friend in the Lord.
Paul Hinnebusch, OP (1917-2002), was a renowned author, scholar, and spiritual guide whose writings continue to inspire readers in the pursuit of prayer, friendship, religious life, and knowledge of scripture. He authored more than one hundred articles and at least eighteen books, including Friendship in the Lord, Community in the Lord, and Prayer, the Search for Authenticity. A member of the Dominican Order--like six of his nine siblings--he dedicated his life to educating and guiding others in the faith.
Ordained in 1944, Hinnebusch earned degrees from the Aquinas Institute of Theology and Duquesne University before embarking on a distinguished teaching career. Over nearly two decades, he lectured at a number of colleges, including the University of Notre Dame, St. Mary's Dominican College, the University of Dallas, and St. Louis University. In recognition of his contributions to the study of scripture and the theology of the spiritual life, the Dominican Order awarded him a master of sacred theology degree in 1994.
Hinnebusch's deep commitment to spiritual formation extended beyond the classroom. He mentored novices of the Dominican sisters in Louisiana and served as a spiritual director for the Missionaries of Charity in Texas.
Fr. John Burns is a priest of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. He is the author of the bestselling books Adore: A Guided Advent Journal for Prayer and Meditation and Lift Up Your Heart: A 10-Day Personal Retreat with St. Francis de Sales. Ordained in 2010, Burns has served as an associate pastor and pastor in Milwaukee in addition to being an adjunct professor of moral theology at the Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology. He completed a doctorate in moral theology at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome in 2019. His doctoral research focused on the theology of healing through forgiveness.
Burns speaks at conferences, preaches for missions, and directs retreats throughout the country. He works extensively with the Sisters of Life and St. Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity, and has given retreats, conferences, and spiritual direction for the sisters in Africa, Europe, and the United States.
Sr. Miriam James Heidland, SOLT, is a popular Catholic speaker, a cohost of the Abiding Together podcast, and the author of the bestselling books Loved as I Am, Restore: A Guided Lent Journal for Prayer and Meditation, and Behold: A Guided Advent Journal for Prayer and Meditation.
A former Division I athlete who had a radical conversion and joined the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity in 1998, Heidland has shared her story on EWTN's The Journey Home, at numerous SEEK and Steubenville conferences, and at the USCCB's Convocation of Catholic Leaders.
Heidland is also affiliated with the Friends of the Bridegroom community and the John Paul II Healing Center in leading healing retreats for priests and religious sisters across America.
Heidland earned a master's degree in theology from the Augustine Institute and speaks extensively on the topics of conversion, authentic love, forgiveness, and healing.
