Complete List of Virtues and Vices Every Catholic Should Know
Ascension TeamA Complete List of Essential Christian Virtues and the Vices They Oppose
Has anyone ever reminded you that “patience is a virtue” at a time when you proved that you had very little of it? Difficult as it may be to remember, patience is a virtue...but what else is? What are the most important Catholic virtues? How can they help us resist temptations to sin?
Today, we will take you through every single virtue that you need in the Christian life and point out its accompanying vices. As you read on, you will learn definitions of the four cardinal virtues, the difference between natural and supernatural virtues, and the role of God’s grace in giving them to us!
Understanding Christian/Catholic Virtues
What Are All the Virtues?
Let’s begin with a definition of virtues from the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
“A virtue is an habitual and firm disposition to do the good. It allows the person not only to perform good acts, but to give the best of himself. The virtuous person tends toward the good with all his sensory and spiritual powers; he pursues the good and chooses it in concrete actions. The goal of a virtuous life is to become like God.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, #1803)
There are many virtues, but not all of them are equal. Some of them pop up in everyday life, when we must be self-controlled about that sweet treat in the pantry or be more patient with our coworkers. Other virtues have a more hidden yet deeply important role in our lives –– many relate to our interior lives, assisting us to grow closer to God or to wrestle with a major moral choice.
The formal categories of all the virtues in Catholic teaching are:
- The 3 Theological Virtues
- The 4 Cardinal Virtues
- The 7 Gifts of the Holy Spirit
- The 12 Fruits of the Holy Spirit
- The 7 Capital Virtues (also known as the 7 “Lively” Virtues)
One important distinction is natural virtues versus supernatural virtues. We can acquire natural virtues by our own human ability to work on them, but supernatural virtues must be given to us by God’s grace. For example, the cardinal virtues are human virtues (although they can also exist in us more deeply as infused virtues). The 3 theological virtues are supernatural virtues.
What Are The Theological Virtues?
The 3 theological virtues are faith, hope, and charity (love).
They are called “theological” (which means having to do with God) because they unite us directly to God, who infuses them into our souls at Baptism with his sanctifying grace. We cannot gain these supernatural virtues through our own human effort, but we can pray that they may be deepened within us. For an excellent way to pray for the theological virtues, see the Acts of Faith, Hope, and Love.
The theological virtues make us sharers in sanctifying grace and in God’s own nature. Through them, we are capable of partaking of his glory in eternal life.
What Are The Four Cardinal Virtues?
The 4 cardinal virtues are prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance.
The word “cardinal” means “hinge” in Latin. The role these virtues play in the moral life is somewhat like the metal pieces that connect a door to its frame, permitting it to smoothly swing open and shut. The cardinal virtues are like hinges on which all the other virtues depend.
The cardinal virtues are also known as natural virtues, or the human virtues, because they govern our actions towards ourselves and other persons. We can grow in the cardinal virtues by our own efforts to consciously develop them, but they can also be infused into our souls more deeply by God’s grace.
Each of the cardinal virtues governs a particular aspect of the human person:
Prudence relates to our intellects, helping us know the truth.
Justice helps our wills to pursue the good.
Fortitude governs our irascible passions, the emotions that help us face challenges.
Temperance moderates our sense appetites (for food, drink, and sex) with the help of reason.
What Are The Seven Lively Virtues?
The virtues that counteract the Seven Deadly Sins (which we also call capital sins) are known as the Lively virtues (or “capital” virtues). Although this list is not as well known, the Fathers of Mercy name the virtues as:
Humility counteracts the capital sin of Pride
Generosity counteracts the capital sin of Greed/Avarice
Chastity counteracts the capital sin of Lust
Meekness and Patience counteract the capital sin of Anger
Temperance counteracts the capital sin of Gluttony
Kindness counteracts the capital sin of Envy
Diligence counteracts the capital sin of Sloth/Acedia
Virtues And The Holy Spirit
The Catechism defines the Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Spirit as “permanent dispositions that make man docile in following the promptings of the Holy Spirit” (CCC #1830). These virtues sustain our moral lives, conforming us to God. These virtues overcome our sinfulness and continue towards holiness.
What Are The Seven Gifts Of The Holy Spirit?
The 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit are Wisdom, Understanding, Knowledge, Counsel, Fortitude, Piety, and Fear of the Lord.
We receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit through sanctifying grace in the Sacrament of Baptism, and they are strengthened in us at the Sacrament of Confirmation. They make us more habitually docile to the movements of God’s grace in our souls so that we can be capable of greater holiness.
What Are The Twelve Fruits Of The Holy Spirit?
The 12 Fruits of the Holy Spirit are listed by St. Paul: Charity, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self-Control, Generosity, Modesty, and Chastity (see Galatians 5:22-23).
The fruits of the Holy Spirit flow from the theological virtues and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. They help us put God’s grace into action.
Virtues and Vices Every Catholic Should Know
Do you know your virtues? These dispositions stand at the forefront of the spiritual life.
What Are Vices?
Every virtue has an opposing disposition known as a vice, a sinful tendency that distances us from God. A vice can be the deficiency of a virtue or even its excess – it is possible to have too much of a good thing!
We need to know the virtues in order to live them better. We also need to know the foremost vices that tempt us to sin so that, with the help of God’s grace, we can uproot them from our lives.
This List Includes ALL the Virtues and Their Related Vices
Complete List of Virtues and Vices
Charity
The theological virtue given to us by God that allows us to love God above all things and to love ourselves and our neighbors rightly for his sake. It is the queen and lifegiving principle of all virtues.
The Catechism lists many fruits of charity: “Joy, peace, and mercy … it is benevolence; it fosters reciprocity and remains disinterested and generous; it is friendship and communion” (CCC #1829).
Opposing vices: hatred, sloth, envy, discord, quarreling, objectifying others.
Chastity
A fruit of the Holy Spirit and a form of temperance; it guides the proper use of the sexual appetite according to one’s state in life.
Opposing vice: lust (the other extreme: prudishness).
Counsel
The Gift of the Holy Spirit that makes us docile and receptive to God’s counsel about our actions.
Diligence
Strengthens in us a persistent and constant effort to accomplish what we have set out to do.
Eutrapelia
The virtue of cheerful pleasantness that keeps the soul from becoming overburdened and weary.
Faith
The theological virtue that allows us to believe in God and his divinely revealed truths. Even though we cannot see or wrap our minds around some mysteries that God has revealed, we can trust that they are true on the basis of God’s authority. St. Paul writes that “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1).
Opposing vice: heresy, doubt, disbelief.
Faithfulness
A fruit of the Holy Spirit by which we steadfastly adhere to our commitments.
Opposing vices: disloyalty, treachery.
Fear of the Lord
The gift of the Holy Spirit that helps us to avoid sin because we dread offending God. Scripture says that “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10).
Opposing vice: irreverence.
Fortitude
Both a cardinal virtue and a gift of the Holy Spirit. It strengthens us to undertake difficult tasks, face dangers, and endure suffering with strength. Courage and endurance are related virtues.
Opposing vices: fear (the other extreme: fearless audacity), cowardice.
Generosity
A fruit of the Holy Spirit that allows us to give and share with kind abundance.
Opposing vices: stinginess, wastefulness.
Gentleness
A fruit of the Holy Spirit that grants us deeper sensitivity towards other persons.
Opposing vice: quarrelsomeness.
Goodness
A fruit of the Holy Spirit that allows us to wish blessing and prosperity upon our neighbor.
Gratitude
Our response to the value of God’s gifts to us and the benefits we receive from others.
Opposing vice: selfishness.
Hope
“the theological virtue by which we desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ’s promises and relying not on our own strength but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, #1817).
Opposing vices: fear, despair, presumption.
Humility
Helps us to recognize God’s gifts and use them according to his will. It reminds us that everything we have comes from him and we depend on him entirely.
Opposing vice: pride (the opposite extreme: self-loathing).
Joy
A fruit of the Holy Spirit that helps us delight in attaining what is good for our souls.
Justice
The cardinal virtue of giving to another person what is due to them.
Opposing vice: dishonesty.
Kindness
A fruit of the Holy Spirit that assists us in treating others with sweetness and warmth.
Opposing vices: animosity, meanness, indifference, selfishness.
Knowledge
The gift of the Holy Spirit that assists us in knowing what is of God so that we can order our priorities accordingly.
Loyalty
Keeps us faithful to our beliefs, commitments, and obligations.
Opposing vices: sloth, workaholism (other extreme)
Obedience
Permits us to carry out our tasks with readiness, facility, and joy. We are called to obey lawful superiors but must also obey God through faithfulness to his will and to his moral commands. As the prophet Samuel says in the Old Testament, “To obey is better than sacrifice” (1 Samuel 15:22).
Opposing vices: disobedience, defiance.
Magnanimity
The determination to aim for true excellence in the highest things. It is a greatness of soul, guided by humility, that helps us to reach the heights of holiness.
Mercy
The compassion that we feel for the miseries and difficulties of others so that we can assist them. The 7 Corporal Works of Mercy designate ways we can help others in material ways, whereas through the 7 Spiritual Works of Mercy, we can minister to their souls.
Opposing vice: selfishness, malevolence, meanness, mercilessness.
Modesty
A fruit of the Holy Spirit that keeps us from giving into excesses. As an important facet of purity, it respects the dignity of other persons and safeguards chastity.
Patience
A fruit of the Holy Spirit that allows us to remain cheerfully undisturbed even amid obstacles and difficulties.
Opposing vice: anger.
Peace
A fruit of the spirit that grants us inner tranquility and fosters harmony between persons.
Opposing vice: discord, hatred.
Perseverance
Permits us to make a steadfast, continued effort to achieve something in spite of opposition.
Piety
Directs our love and respect for what is holy, particularly how we give filial worship to God as our loving heavenly Father. Piety is also known as religion or devotion.
Prudence
Tells us what to do, where to do it, why to do it, and what the consequences are. It perfects our intellect, assisting our ability to reason well. It stands at the head of all the natural virtues and orders all of them. Aspects of prudence include purity of intention, balance, foresight, and discernment.
Opposing vices: negligence, inconstancy.
Self-control or Temperance
Helps us to moderate our desires, especially in what appeals to our senses. Particular areas of temperance include abstinence, sobriety, and chastity.
Opposing vice: gluttony, greed, drunkenness, lust (the opposite extreme: wastefulness).
Truthfulness
A form of justice and means speaking genuine things and communicating what is fitting in the time and manner that is fitting.
Understanding
Grants us deeper insight into the truths of our faith.
Wisdom
Judges and orders all things in accordance with what God teaches.
Zeal
Charity in action: it sets us ablaze for God, his truth, and the salvation of souls.
Opposing vices: acedia, apathy, complacency, lukewarmness.