2. Cardinal and Theological Virtues in the Catholic Church

3. CARDINAL VIRTUES The cardinal virtues are the four primary moral virtues. The English word cardinal comes from the Latin word “cardo,” which means "hinge." All other virtues hinge upon these four virtues. The cardinal virtues can be practiced by anyone, religious or non-religious. (Scott P. Richert)

4. Cardinal Virtues There are 4 cardinal virtues • a) Prudence • b) Justice • c) Fortitude • d)Temperance

5. Prudence Practical judgment. Prudence asks the question, “What is the right thing to do in this particular situation?” (common sense). An example of prudence is organizing your study time before an exam. Staying home before a final instead of going to a football or basketball game is prudent.

6. Justice Justice is the virtue that reminds us that the people with whom we share our world have rights and that, as much as possible, all people deserve to have basic needs met. In other words, justice is the virtue that explicitly ranks our own good as equal to the common good, the good of all people.

7. Fortitude Fortitude is simply a fancy term for the virtue that the cowardly lion requests from the wizard of Oz-courage. The challenge is to stand up for what is right in the face of peer pressure or in circumstances when we are being called upon to step out of our usual patterns of behavior. Without the courage to act, all the other virtues are useless. It ensures firmness in difficulties and constancy in the pursuit of the good.

8. Temperance Temperance is the virtue that refers to self-control in general. As justice is the virtue of social harmony and balance, so temperance is the virtue of personal harmony and balance. Temperance advocates a wholesome personal lifestyle. Freedom requires self control. If we are incapable of regulating the amount of food we eat or the amount of alcohol we consume, then we are not free.

9. THE THEOLOGICAL VIRTUES The Theological Virtues are gifts of God through grace. (Scott P. Richert)

10. Theological Virtues Theological virtues are rooted in God and reflect God’s presence in our lives. The 3 Theological virtues are the following: a) Faith b) Hope c)Love (Charity)

11. Faith Faith is the virtue by which we recognize that God exists and that God’s very existence holds moral implications for us. Faith is believing in God and being faithful to him. Faith requires openness and trust. Faith-in-action involves trying to discover what is God’s will and then acting accordingly.

12. Hope Hope is trusting in God, in everything that Christ has promised, and in the help of the Holy Spirit. Hope is intimately tied to responsibility. It is future oriented and means taking seriously the consequences of our actions. Jesus provides hope that, no matter how hopeless our current circumstances appear and despite trials and setbacks, in the end all will be well. “Never Give up!”

13. Love Love is the theological virtue representing the core of the Christian moral life. Love is the virtue that places concern for God, manifest especially through concern for others, above everything else. The Catechism defines love in the words of the medieval theologian Saint Thomas Aquinas, “To love is to will the good of another.”

14. Love (cont.) Every other virtue that we might practice represents some dimension of love: every time we practice a virtue, we are giving expression to love. Pretty much love is the core virtue and when we practice any virtue, we are practicing love. Moral laws are norms for love: moral principals are the principles of love. Sin indicates a failure to love. Moral decision making is the process of practicing the art of love.

15. Source: Back to Virtue Peter Kreeft 1992