Faith, Food, and Friendship: Reflections and Recipes from a Jesuit’s Abundant Life

Book Synopsis: #1 AMAZON BESTSELLER

Life—like any good recipe—requires time, wholesome ingredients, patience, and skill to perfect.

It’s not every day that a Jesuit priest psychologist who apprenticed in cooking at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris in the 1960s and spent nearly 60 years preaching, teaching, and managing academic and non-profit organizations sets aside time to preserve memories of the significant people, moments, travels, and events that have shaped his life.

Even more impressive is Father Walter J. Smith’s epic undertaking of presenting a creative collection of enchanting reminiscences through the lens of the foods and recipes he sampled in his extensive travels. Faith, Food, and Friendship chronicles highlights of Father Smith’s life’s pilgrimage by means of 175 carefully crafted classic, original, or adapted recipes assembled from many corners of the globe and every level of society.

“Growing up in South Boston in a second-generation American Irish family that ate but never dined, it is remarkable that I developed any interest at all in the culinary arts. Looking back on my own lifetime of discovery, I can affirm that God did not skimp on the good stuff. There has been plenty of butter and heavy cream, truffles and saffron, aceto balsamico and jamón ibérico de Bellota. I invite you to accompany me on this journey, where these words from the author of the Book of Genesis will, it is hoped, prove true: ‘Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you.’”

Early in his life, Fr. Smith came under the spiritual and intellectual influence of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) who launched him on a rich journey of discovery. He has a doctorate in clinical psychology and degrees in philosophy, theology, French language and literature, and counseling psychology. He spent five decades as a clinician, professor, consultant, trustee, department chair, dean, chief executive officer, and chancellor.