Christianity has long seen certain virtues as being key to the moral life. A virtue is “a habitual and firm disposition to choose the good” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1803). A simpler way of thinking about virtues might be to call them the good moral habits that we’ve acquired. While, conversely, “vices,” are our bad moral habits. The sum total of our virtue and vice is our moral character.

In one sense, a “virtue” could be any morally good habit. However, as Christians there are several that are especially important.

Classically, the two common groupings of virtues particularly important to Christians would be the theological virtues of faith, hope and charity and what are often called the cardinal virtues of prudence, temperance, fortitude and justice. Each virtue can play a role in enhancing the presence of the others.
The theological virtues are in a little different category since we believe they are infused gifts coming directly from God, while the cardinal virtues are ones that can be largely acquired through our own effort.

While we can certainly prepare ourselves to receive the theological virtues, they remain a free gift from God which He offers and bestows on us. They prepare us to live with God and help us grow in our relationship with Him even now. We need them to gain heaven.

Meanwhile, the cardinal virtues, can be grown in us in a little different manner. If I want them to increase, I have to actually do those things which lead to their increase. If I want them, I must practice them — over and over again. Practicing them in a repeated and consistent way is what leads to actually acquiring them. Certainly God’s grace helps them to take root in us, but possessing them or not possessing them is largely determined by our own choices.

In some ways it can be likened to planting a garden. If I want to grow potatoes, I have to plant potatoes and must be willing to do the things that potatoes require for growth. If I don’t plant them I cannot expect to have them. Likewise, I cannot treat them like tomatoes and expect them to survive and grow.

Therefore, if I want to grow “prudence” in my character, I must be willing to actually practice prudence in real life events and choices and do those things which foster its growth. Using the garden analogy, the best way to go about doing that is by coming to understand what it is and how it grows.

In all of this, it is important to remember that while virtues are about good habits or dispositions, a deficiency in virtue leaves an open door where sin may be free to enter. Not growing in virtue allows our sinful habits — our vices — room to grow in us instead. So ensuring that we are working on developing virtues only helps us in our ability to respond to God’s grace and avoid sin in the best possible way. Sometimes preventing sin is best accomplished by growing virtue.

All virtue is about choosing what is “good.” Something is only truly “good” if it is in keeping with God’s design for our ultimate good. Nothing that is sinful can ever be seen as being virtuous, no matter how talented we may be at it or how much the world may praise it.

On a similar note, virtue mixed with sinful inclinations ceases to be true virtue. So being “a really good liar” is not at all virtuous, nor is honesty truly virtuous if I have the intention of hurting someone through my honesty or if my honesty breaks a confidence I have a duty to keep.

Given that the cardinal virtues are particularly important, and that there are practical ways we can choose to grow them in our lives, we will begin looking at the virtue of prudence in the next column.