What are the cardinal and theological virtues?

The four cardinal virtues are prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance. The three theological virtues are faith, hope, and charity (CCC 1805, 1813).

What virtue is. A virtue is a firm and habitual disposition to do the good (CCC 1803). Virtue gives more than an occasional good intention. A virtuous person learns to recognize what is good, choose it freely, and carry it out consistently. Human virtues grow through education, repeated good acts, and perseverance, while God's grace heals and elevates them (CCC 1810-1811).

The four cardinal virtues. They are called cardinal because other moral virtues turn around them, as a door turns on a hinge:

1. Prudence recognizes the true good in a particular situation and chooses the right means to attain it. Prudence is wise moral judgment, not fearfulness or clever self interest (CCC 1806).
2. Justice gives God and neighbor what is due to them. It includes worship of God, respect for rights, honesty, and concern for the common good (CCC 1807).
3. Fortitude gives firmness in difficulties and constancy in pursuing the good. It helps a person resist temptation and face suffering, persecution, or even death faithfully (CCC 1808).
4. Temperance moderates attraction to pleasure and keeps created goods within proper limits. It governs appetites for food, drink, sexuality, entertainment, and comfort (CCC 1809).

The three theological virtues. These virtues relate directly to God and are infused by Him into the souls of the faithful (CCC 1812-1813):

1. Faith enables us to believe in God and all that He has revealed because He is Truth itself (CCC 1814).
2. Hope enables us to desire and trust in eternal life, relying on Christ's promises and grace rather than our own strength (CCC 1817).
3. Charity enables us to love God above all things for His own sake and to love our neighbor for God's sake (CCC 1822). Charity is the greatest of the three and gives life to all the virtues (1 Cor 13:13; CCC 1826-1827).

How they work together. Prudence identifies a faithful course of action. Justice recognizes what is owed. Fortitude helps us carry it out despite difficulty. Temperance restrains desires that pull us away. Faith receives God's truth, hope trusts His promises, and charity directs the whole act toward love.

Choose one virtue to practice today. Ask God for it in prayer, then make one concrete act. Forgive someone, tell the truth, resist an excess, fulfill a neglected duty, or profess the faith without fear. Virtue grows through grace received and good repeatedly chosen.