1. Moral and theological virtues
TIEPOLO, Giovanni Battista ( )
The Theological Virtues
Oil on canvas, c.1755
15 1/4 x 15 inches (38.8 x 38.1 cm)
Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts, Brussels
Moral and theological virtues 40

2. Compendium of the Catechism
377. What is a virtue?
A virtue is an habitual and firm disposition to do the good. “The goal of a virtuous life is to become like God” (Saint Gregory of Nyssa). There are human virtues and theological virtues.

3. Introduction
When the Church proclaims someone to be a saint, she investigates his or her life to be sure that this person practised to a heroic degree the supernatural virtues of faith, hope and charity, as well as the cardinal virtues of prudence, justice, temperance and fortitude, along with their related virtues.
Virtue and virtuous deeds are what crown human nature, especially if it has been elevated by the supernatural virtues, since “grace does not destroy nature, but perfects it”.
Before Christianity, philosophers with a purely human outlook defined nobility as perfect virtue. The Church goes a step further and teaches also about the supernatural virtues gratuitously granted by God to man. By living these virtues fully man can attain sanctity. When the Church proclaims someone to be a saint, she investigates his or her life to be sure that this person practised to a heroic degree the supernatural virtues of faith, hope and charity, as well as the cardinal virtues of prudence, justice, temperance and fortitude, along with their related virtues.
Virtue and virtuous deeds are what crown human nature, especially if it has been elevated by the supernatural virtues, since “grace does not destroy nature, but perfects it”.
VOUET, Simon
Allegory of Virtue
c. 1634
Oil on canvas, 210 x 113 cm
Musée du Louvre, Paris

4. Main ideas

5. 1. What is virtue?
Nature is the radical principle of operations: we see with our eyes, hear with our ears, and know with our intelligence.
With practice, the faculties acquire stable habits. If the habit is good it is called a virtue; if it is bad it is called a vice.
Virtue then is a quality of the spiritual faculties that inclines man to do what is good.
Nature is the radical principle of operations. It does not operate in itself but rather through its faculties, be they spiritual or sensual. We see with our eyes, hear with our ears, and know with our intelligence. With practice, the faculties acquire stable habits of behaviour called operative habits. If the habit is good it is called a virtue; if it is bad it is called a vice. Virtue then is a quality of the spiritual faculties that inclines man to do what is good.
CORREGGIO
Allegory of Virtue
about
Oil on canvas, 149 x 88 cm
Musée du Louvre, Paris

6. 2. The human virtues
The most excellent virtues are the supernatural ones, which refer directly to God, but the moral virtues are also important, since by perfecting man’s conduct they lead him to God.
The main moral virtues are prudence, justice, fortitude and temperance. They are also called cardinal virtues because they are the foundation of the other moral virtues
The most excellent virtues are the supernatural ones, which refer directly to God, but the moral virtues are also important, since by perfecting man’s conduct they lead him to God. Some virtues are acquired by natural effort; others, being supernatural, are gratuitously granted by God. The theological virtues are always supernatural, that is, infused by God; the moral virtues can be acquired, or infused by God. It is not true that man always sins, as Luther said; man can do good with his natural strength, and by doing so he can acquire virtues: like sincerity, being hard-working, discretion, loyalty ... The main moral virtues are prudence, justice, fortitude and temperance. They are also called cardinal virtues because they are the foundation of the other moral virtues.
Prudence disposes reason to discern in every circumstance our true good and to choose the right means for achieving it.
Justice consists in the firm and constant will to give to God and neighbour their due.
Fortitude assures strength in difficulties and constancy in the pursuit of the good.
Temperance moderates the attraction towards pleasures and ensures a balanced use of created goods.
Besides the cardinal virtues man has to practise other moral virtues like religion, humility, obedience, joy, patience, penance and chastity.
Raphael ( )
The Cardinal Virtues
Fresco, 1511
Stanza della Segnatura, Palazzi Pontifici, Vatican

7. 3. Natural virtues and supernatural grace
At times it is hard to practise natural virtues because of the disorder and evil inclinations left by original sin. But God grants grace that purifies the intellect and elevates human virtues to the supernatural level to help us to obtain the goal we have been called to: eternal beatitude, heaven. In this way virtues continue to be natural, while also becoming supernatural.
With God’s help, natural virtues strengthen our character and make the practice of doing good easy.
At times it is hard to practise natural virtues because of the disorder and evil inclinations left by original sin. But God grants grace that purifies the intellect and elevates human virtues to the supernatural level so as to help us to obtain the goal we have been called to: eternal beatitude, heaven. In this way virtues continue to be natural, while also becoming supernatural.
With God’s help, natural virtues strengthen our character and make the practice of doing good easy.
TIEPOLO, Giovanni Battista ( )
Allegory of Merit Accompanied by Nobility and Virtue
Fresco,
393 5/8 x 236 1/8 inches (1000 x 600 cm)
Museo del Settecento Veneziano, Ca' Rezzonico, Venice

8. 4. The theological virtues
Since man has been elevated to the supernatural order, natural virtues, although necessary, are not sufficient. God, from the moment of baptism, grants Christians the supernatural virtues along with grace:
Faith is the supernatural virtue by which we believe, based on God’s authority, the truths revealed to us and taught by the Church.
Hope is the supernatural virtue by which we place our trust in God who will glorify us through his grace and our correspondence.
Charity is the supernatural virtue by which we love God above all things, and ourselves and our neighbours, for love of God.
Since man has been elevated to the supernatural order, natural virtues, although necessary, are not sufficient. God, from the moment of baptism, grants Christians the supernatural virtues along with grace.
The supernatural virtues are faith, hope and charity.
Faith is the supernatural virtue by which we believe, based on God’s authority, the truths revealed to us and taught by the Church.
Hope is the supernatural virtue by which we place our trust in God who will glorify us through his grace and our correspondence.
Charity is the supernatural virtue by which we love God above all things, and ourselves and our neighbours, for love of God.
RAFFAELLO, Sanzio
Theological Virtues, 1507
Oil on wood, 16 x 44 cm (each)
Pinacoteca, Vatican

9. 5. Gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit
The gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit are like the crown of the supernatural building.
The gifts of the Holy Spirit are supernatural perfections infused by God to facilitate the practice of the virtues, making us docile to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. There are seven gifts of the Holy Spirit :
wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord.
In addition, the tradition of the Church lists, as the first fruits of eternal glory, twelve fruits of the Holy Spirit:
charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, and chastity.
The gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit are like the crown of the supernatural building. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are supernatural perfections infused by God to facilitate the practice of the virtues, making us docile to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. There are seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord.
In addition, the tradition of the Church lists, as the first fruits of eternal glory, twelve fruits of the Holy Spirit: charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, and chastity.
GRECO, El
The Pentecost
Oil on canvas, 275 x 127 cm
Museo del Prado, Madrid

10. 6. Charity, the highest virtue
Charity is the greatest of all virtues, being first among the theological virtues, which are more excellent than all the others.
All virtue, to be authentic, must be inspired by charity.
As Saint Paul says, charity is “the bond of perfection”, the form of all the other virtues.
Charity is the greatest of all virtues, being first among the theological virtues, which are more excellent than all the others. All virtue, to be authentic, must be inspired by charity. As Saint Paul says, charity is “the bond of perfection”, the form of all the other virtues.
WATTS, George Frederick ( )
Charity
Oil on canvas, 1898
Private collection

11. 7. To grow in virtue
A Christian who tries to lead a life worthy of God, counts on divine grace and the virtues.
With God’s help, and with his own effort, man has to grow in virtue. God never abandons us, and it is enough that we struggle to do what is good and to practise charity.
Charity consists in loving God with all our heart, and loving ourselves and our neighbour, for love of God.
A Christian who tries to lead a life worthy of God, counts on divine grace and the virtues, that is, on all the means to achieve the goal to which God calls him. Therefore, with God’s help, and with his own effort, man has to grow in virtue. God never abandons us, and it is enough that we struggle to do what is good and to practise charity; since charity, as we have mentioned above, consists in loving God with all our heart, and loving ourselves and our neighbour, for love of God.
BENNER, Emmanuel ( )
Hercules Between Virtue And Vice
Oil on canvas
57 3/4 x 45 7/8 inches (146.7 x cm)
Private collection

12. Resolutions for Christian life

13. Resolutions to move forward
Practise the moral virtues in ordinary life: study, work, family life, friendship…
Ask God to increase in us the theological virtues; do so especially during the consecration at Mass with the words: “Lord, increase my faith, hope and charity”.