“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.
| Format: | Paperback book |
|---|---|
| Product code: | AM613289 |
| Dimensions: | 5½" x 8½" |
| Length: | 192 pages |
| Publisher: |
Christian Classics
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| ISBN: | 9780870613289 |
| 1-2 copies | $15.79 each |
|---|---|
| 3-9 copies | $15.07 each |
| 10-49 copies | $14.36 each |
| 50-99 copies | $14.00 each |
| 100+ copies | $13.46 each |
Praise
I’ve never before put down a book so inspired to be a better husband, son, brother, friend, and disciple of Jesus. This book was truly transformational! 10/10 recommend. 100/100. 1,000/1,000!”
“Chesterton once observed that our ‘root horror’ in this human ordeal is isolation. Especially as we undergo this ‘epidemic of loneliness,’ we need friendship if we are to flourish. Our friendships help us to enter into life and into relationship with the Lord, who reveals himself as our most beloved Friend. In this book, Fr. Hinnebusch gives a beautifully balanced account of friendship, at once sensibly sensitive to its emotional and psychological complexity and keenly aware of its spiritual fruits. His work is a great gift to all of us on the way.”
“This book felt like a feast, satiating me with the best of truths. God is the God of love! He extends his loving friendship to all of us, and in turn, we have the privilege of entering into divine friendship with him and all of his children. What good news! This book is perfect for a small group setting or for anyone who wants to grow in the spirituality of friendship.”
“Fr. Hinnebusch shows with clarity and tenderness how true Christian friendship calls us to vulnerability, honesty, and trust. It can be challenging, but when rooted in the Lord, true friends can be vessels of grace who pour forth and draw out the very best in one another. Friendship in the Lord reminds us that the purpose of friendship is not just companionship but sanctification.”
“This is one of the most wonderfully helpful books I have ever read. Rare is the text that treats a topic of such universal importance and so easily reaches into the core of human yearning with the guiding light of theological truth. In a remarkably approachable and invitational manner, Fr. Paul Hinnebusch ushers us along a pathway proven by his own integrated experience, experience confirmed by and refined within the light of theology. Hinnebusch marks out this pathway by the humble offering of simple and tender insights that dispel fear and magnify the radiance of true friendship. This present edition comes at a time when its themes are as needed as ever.”
“When I first read this book many years ago, it forever changed my view of friendship and how to honor and reverence the Lord, myself, and others. As I have pondered the many friendships in my own life over the years, I have seen both joy and sorrow, darkness and light. In rereading this work by Fr. Paul Hinnebusch, I was filled again with the desire to give to the Lord every relationship in my life and receive each one of them again through his heart.”
