Virtues

Endurance Under Persecution

Steadfast endurance and courage in face of persecution or suffering for faith; resilience

Hunger for Righteousness

Deep yearning for justice and right living; passionate desire to do what is right; holy longing

Mercy

Compassionate response to suffering; tender-heartedness toward those in distress

Mourning

Godly sorrow for sin and suffering; spiritual mourning; compassionate grief for the world's pain

Peacemaking

Active promotion of peace and reconciliation; conflict resolution; bridge building between opposing groups

Poverty of Spirit

Recognition of spiritual need; humble dependence on God; freedom from pride and self-sufficiency

Purity of Heart

Undivided heart and mind focused on God; cleanness in thought and intention; spiritual innocence

Charity (vs. Envy)

As the antidote to envy, charity transforms sorrow at another's good into genuine rejoicing — replacing comparison and resentment with gratitude and shared celebration.

Chastity (vs. Lust)

As the antidote to lust, chastity restores the integration of sexuality, healing the disordered concupiscence of the flesh and ordering desire toward authentic self-gift and communion.

Diligence (vs. Sloth)

Diligence as the antidote to sloth (acedia) is the zealous, persistent effort in the spiritual life and daily duties — overcoming the torpor and sadness about spiritual good that characterizes acedia.

Gratitude/Kindness (vs. Greed)

As the antidote to greed, gratitude and kindness transform the concupiscence of the eyes into generous stewardship — replacing accumulation with contentment and self-gift.

Patience (vs. Wrath)

As the antidote to wrath, patience transforms destructive anger into constructive endurance — distinguishing righteous indignation from sinful rage and choosing mercy over retaliation.

Temperance (vs. Gluttony)

As the antidote to gluttony, temperance restores right relationship with food, drink, and physical pleasures — finding freedom through moderation and mindful consumption.

Bravery

Courageous facing of fear and danger; willingness to stand for what is right despite opposition

Fairness

Equitable treatment of all; impartiality; giving each person their due

Fortitude

Strength of spirit to face fear, hardship, or opposition; courageous endurance in doing what is right

Justice

Right action and fair treatment; giving each person their due; harmony in social relations based on equity and righteousness

Prudence

Practical wisdom in decision-making; the ability to discern right action in specific circumstances through careful judgment

Temperance

Moderation in all things; mastery over appetites and desires; balanced self-regulation

Zest

Enthusiasm and vitality; approaching life with energy and wholehearted engagement

Civic Responsibility

Active participation in civic life; responsibility to society; commitment to common good

Evangelism

Sharing one's faith with others; witnessing to the Gospel; missionary commitment

Hospitality

Generous welcome and care for guests; hospitality as spiritual practice

Individual Conscience

Respect for moral conscience; honoring one's moral intuition; responsibility for personal conviction

Leadership

Ability to guide and inspire others toward common goals; servant leadership; delegating and coordinating

Love of Learning

Love of learning and intellectual growth; passion for knowledge and understanding

Stewardship

Responsible management of resources and talents entrusted by God; careful stewardship

Teamwork

Ability to work cooperatively with others; loyalty to group; collaborative contribution

Thrift

Prudent and economical use of resources; avoiding waste; wise stewardship of money

Vocation

Recognition and fulfillment of one's calling; sense of divine purpose in work and life

Charity (Fruit of the Spirit)

As a fruit of the Holy Spirit, charity is the supernatural love that flows from union with God, manifesting as compassion, tender mercy, and selfless giving to others — the sign that the Spirit is alive within.

Compassion

Deep empathy and sympathetic concern for the suffering of others; responsive care

Contentment

Satisfaction with what one has; freedom from envy and discontent; peaceful acceptance

Faithfulness

Faithfulness as a fruit of the Holy Spirit is the steadfast, reliable commitment to God, to others, and to one's vocation — reflecting God's own covenant fidelity.

Gentleness

Gentleness as a fruit of the Holy Spirit is strength under control — the grace to respond to others with tenderness, calm, and compassion rather than harshness or force.

Goodness

Goodness as a fruit of the Holy Spirit is the moral excellence that flows from a heart aligned with God's will — doing what is right and true not from obligation but from interior transformation.

Joy

Joy as a fruit of the Holy Spirit is a deep, abiding gladness that comes from union with God — not dependent on external circumstances but rooted in the knowledge that we are loved and redeemed.

Kindness

Kindness as a fruit of the Holy Spirit is the gentle, generous disposition that extends warmth, helpfulness, and care to others — reflecting God's own kindness toward us.

Modesty

Modesty as a fruit of the Holy Spirit is the virtue that protects the intimate center of the person, guiding how one presents oneself to others in dress, speech, and behavior with dignity and authenticity.

Peace

Peace as a fruit of the Holy Spirit is the tranquility of order within the soul — an inner calm that comes from right relationship with God, self, and others. It surpasses human understanding.

Self-Control

Self-control as a fruit of the Holy Spirit is the grace-assisted mastery over one's impulses, desires, and reactions — the freedom that comes from interior discipline ordered by love.

Counsel

Counsel is the gift of the Holy Spirit that perfects the virtue of prudence, enabling the person to judge promptly and rightly what must be done in difficult circumstances, guided by an interior light.

Fear of the Lord

Reverent awe and respect for God; holy fear that leads to wisdom and obedience

Fear of the Lord

Fear of the Lord is the gift of the Holy Spirit that fills the soul with a sovereign respect for God and makes one dread above all things to offend Him. It is not servile fear but a loving awe before the holy.

Fortitude (Gift of the Spirit)

Fortitude as a gift of the Holy Spirit goes beyond the cardinal virtue, infusing supernatural courage to bear suffering, resist temptation, and persist in the spiritual life beyond what natural strength allows.

Knowledge

Knowledge as a gift of the Holy Spirit enables the person to judge created things rightly in relation to God, discerning what leads toward Him and what leads away.

Piety

Piety is the gift of the Holy Spirit that inclines the heart to a filial affection for God as Father and to a loving reverence for all things related to Him, including devotion to prayer and worship.

Reverence

Respectful awe and veneration for God and sacred things; reverent attitude toward the holy

Spirituality

Spiritual practice and commitment; connection to meaning and transcendence; coherent spiritual worldview

Understanding

Understanding is the gift of the Holy Spirit that helps the mind penetrate the meaning of truths of faith, not to know them all but to grasp what faith teaches with deeper clarity and spiritual insight.

Wisdom

Wisdom is the gift of the Holy Spirit that enables the soul to judge all things according to their true value, seeing reality from God's perspective. It gives a contemplative knowledge that grasps the deepest truths.

Abstinence

Accountability

Taking responsibility for one's actions; answerability; willingness to be transparent

Adoration

Caution

Chastity

Sexual virtue; appropriate expression of sexuality; restraint and propriety in intimate matters

Circumspection

Clemency

Commutative Justice

Continence

Creativity

Ability to think creatively; originality and innovation; expressing one's talents in new ways

Curiosity

Interest in the world and ideas; openness to learning and exploration; intellectual engagement

Devotion

Discernment

Ability to discern spiritual truth; discrimination between good and evil; spiritual perception

Distributive Justice

Docility

Domestic Prudence

Epikeia

Eutrapelia

Exceptional Judgment

Fasting

Foresight

Forgiveness

Willingness to pardon offenses; freedom from resentment; capacity for reconciliation

Friendliness

Generosity

Free-hearted giving; willingness to share resources and support with others; bountifulness

Good Counsel

Gratitude

Recognizing and appreciating benefits received; thankful acknowledgment; appreciation for life's gifts

Honesty

Truthfulness and authenticity; speaking truth; freedom from deception and pretense

Honesty Beauty

Humility

Freedom from pride and arrogance; accurate self-assessment; lowliness before God; receptivity

Integrity

Consistency between beliefs and actions; wholeness and coherence; moral integration

Judgment

Critical thinking and analysis; careful examination of evidence; sound reasoning

Magnanimity

Magnificence

Meekness

Gentle and humble demeanor; strength controlled and directed aright; not aggressive or harsh

Memory

Military Prudence

Modesty Dress

Modesty Movement

Obedience

Willing submission to proper authority; obedience to God's will; receptivity to guidance

Observance

Patience

Endurance under difficulty; forbearance; steady perseverance through trials without complaint

Perseverance

Steadfast continuation despite obstacles and difficulty; determination to complete what is begun

Personal Prudence

Perspective

Ability to see larger context and meaning; wise counsel based on broader understanding

Piety Filial

Political Prudence

Prayer

Reason Prudence

Religion

Sacrifice

Shamefacedness

Shrewdness

Simplicity

Living simply; avoiding unnecessary complexity; freedom from pretense and artifice

Sincerity

Genuine and authentic expression; freedom from deceit or double-mindedness

Sobriety

Clear-mindedness and seriousness; freedom from intoxication and frivolity; mental clarity

Social Intelligence

Awareness of and understanding of emotions, motivations, and intentions in self and others

Sound Judgment

Steadfastness

Firm and unwavering commitment; steadiness; stability in conviction and action

Studiousness

Tithing

Truthfulness

Understanding Prudence

Vindication

Virginity

Vows

Appreciation of Beauty

Appreciation for beauty, excellence, and transcendence; aesthetic sensitivity and awe

Charity (Love)

Charity is the theological virtue by which we love God above all things for His own sake, and our neighbor as ourselves for the love of God. It is the form of all the virtues, animating and inspiring them.

Faith

Faith is the theological virtue by which we believe in God and all that He has said and revealed to us, because He is Truth itself. By faith, the person freely commits their entire self to God, offering 'the full submission of intellect and will' (Dei Verbum 5).

Grace

God's unmerited favor; divine assistance enabling virtuous life; gift rather than achievement

Hope

Hope is 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 on the help of the Holy Spirit's grace.

Humor

Ability to perceive humor and use it appropriately; playfulness; laughter and mirth

Repentance

Turning away from sin; profound change of mind and direction; turning toward God

Sanctification

Being set apart for God's purposes; progressive spiritual growth and increasing holiness

Trust in Providence

Confidence that God providentially guides all things; trust in divine providence; surrender to God's will