Faith, Food, and Friendship

Reflections and Recipes from a Jesuit’s Abundant Life

Walter J. Smith, S.J.

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.

Born and raised in a second-generation, working-class American-Irish community in South Boston, Massachusetts, Fr. Smith came under the spiritual and intellectual influence of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) during his high school and undergraduate years at Boston College High School and Boston College. Since 1962, he has been a member of the Society of Jesus and was ordained to the priesthood in 1972.

His academic formation includes degrees in philosophy, theology, French language and literature, and counseling psychology. He completed a doctorate in clinical psychology and spent five decades as a clinician, professor, consultant, trustee, department chair, dean, chief executive officer and chancellor. In addition to his academic formation and professional achievements, Fr. Smith is also an accomplished cook.

While pursuing studies in Paris in the 1960s at the Sorbonne, he completed training at Le Cordon Bleu. Later, while teaching in Rome and serving as a psychological consultant for the Vatican, he immersed himself in learning about regional Italian food and wine. Through his travel adventures in Europe, Asia, Central and South America, and the Middle East, Fr. Smith continued to expand his culinary knowledge and repertoire.

Savory & Sweet: Memoir of a Jesuit’s Abundant Life and Culinary Journey chronicles the highlights of a remarkable odyssey. The storyline seamlessly connects persons and events with 175 original or adapted recipes. This book testifies to the wisdom of Epicurus who wrote: “It is not the young man who should be considered fortunate but the old man who has lived well, because the young man in his prime wanders much by chance, vacillating in his beliefs, while the old man has docked in the harbor, having safeguarded his true happiness.”