One of the Brethren

The timeless wisdom and writing of renowned preacher and spiritual master Timothy Radcliffe, OP.

What can Dominican life teach us today? In One of the Brethren, Giovanni Castellano, OP, opens a window into Dominican life, entering into conversation with the letters and thought of Cardinal Timothy Radcliffe, OP, a beloved writer and preacher who has been one of the brethren for more than sixty years. In an age when identity is often used to fragment and divide, this book presents the charism of the Dominican Order as a gift placed at the service of all: an invitation to Christians of every confession, and all seekers of meaning, to discover how the wisdom of the brethren can help renew the life of the Church.

Drawing especially on the letters Radcliffe wrote as Master of the Order, this book illuminates how the pillars of Dominican life—obedience, poverty, chastity, prayer, study, and mission—speak far beyond the cloister, revealing some of the deepest questions of our time. One of the Brethren brings to light a lesser-known part of Radcliffe’s work, sharing treasures that have remained largely hidden outside the Dominican community.

Giovanni Castellano, OP, was born in Italy in 2000. He joined the Order of Preachers in the Province of St. Thomas Aquinas, in southern Italy. He made his solemn profession in 2024 in the Dominican community of Bari and is studying for a Licentiate at the Biblicum in Rome.