The Catholic intellectual tradition has long been marked by debate, polarity, and division. Distinct philosophical schools—Antiochene and Alexandrian, for example—have produced differing approaches, and doctrinal disputes, such as the ninth‑century exchange between Radbertus and Ratramnus over the Eucharist, illustrate enduring tensions. At times the Roman Curia has been described as leaning toward figures like von Balthasar or Rahner, a bifurcation traced back through Bonaventure, Augustine, and Plato on one side and Aquinas and Aristotle on the other. Sixteenth‑century disputes between Jesuits and Dominicans over grace and free will nearly produced a schism, and more recently debates about whether the Second Vatican Council represents continuity or rupture with tradition have renewed tensions. Some conflicts are settled by popes or councils; others persist, giving the impression that argument and rivalry are intrinsic to Catholic theology and that one must choose the correct articulation. Without attempting to resolve these disputes, this paper turns to a frequently overlooked dimension of those divisions: friendship. Friendship, a transversal and interstitial category that crosses lines of division and inequality, is often taken for granted. Drawing on philosophical, theological, and recent historical research, the paper argues that greater attention to the constructive value of human relationships can enrich and complement these debates.