The Friends and Enemies of Happiness

In Friends and Enemies of Happiness, Fr. Albert H. Dolan draws from Thomistic philosophy—particularly the writings of St. Thomas Aquinas and the interpretations by Fr. Farrell—to present a practical and spiritual guide to human happiness. The book asserts that true happiness can only be attained when reason, rooted in the soul, governs bodily desires. Dolan identifies seven virtues—temperance, purity, meekness, humility, charity, liberality, and joy—as the “friends” that guide us toward happiness by fostering mastery over bodily and emotional impulses. Conversely, he describes the seven capital sins—gluttony, lust, anger, pride, envy, avarice, and sloth—as the “enemies” that bring disorder and lead us away from our spiritual purpose.

Each chapter explores these virtues and vices in contrasting pairs, illustrating how the unchecked desires of the body subvert reason and divine order. Fr. Dolan uses vivid analogies and accessible explanations to emphasize that virtues are not restrictions on freedom, but essential tools for peace, order, and joy in both personal and social life. Temperance, for example, is portrayed not as repression, but as beautiful self-mastery that preserves authentic human dignity. 

This booklet, rich in Catholic theology and moral philosophy, serves as a guide for living a disciplined and fulfilling life in alignment with God's design.

Booklet. 36 pages.

Imprimatur, 1941.