Summary of Virtues
A virtue is a 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. (CCC1803)
Faith is when you hold something to be true based on the testimony of God. With the theological virtue of faith, you make the decision to accept what God tells you as true. Faith is therefore the virtue of knowledge. God shares His knowledge with us. We in turn willingly respond with obedience. Faith entails an acceptance of God’s authority in our lives, and thus we believe all that He teaches through Christ and His Church based on His authority, who can neither deceive nor be deceived (Act of Faith).
Hope is the virtue that strives for Heaven as something which is possible but not yet certain. It is the decision never to quit in the pursuit of union with God and never to take one’s relationship with God for granted.
Charity is the virtue by which we love the way that God loves: selflessly and sacrificially; giving all you have, even to the point of death.
Prudence is the ability to look at a concrete situation and know what ought to be done. It is the ability to make right judgments. Prudence gives you the knowledge of what must be done, when it must be done and how it must be done.
Justice is the virtue in which we give God, others and society what is their due, what we owe them. In justice we respect that other people are just as valuable as we are.
Fortitude is the virtue that helps us overcome any danger, obstacle, feeling, fear, suffering, or sacrifice in the pursuit of good. These will not stop me. I am always willing to sacrifice or risk a lesser good for the sake of a greater good.
Temperance is what keeps us from sinning, even when we want to, especially in the areas of food, alcohol, sex, anger and the like. It protects us from corruption.
Many other virtues fall under the theological and cardinal virtues: humility, meekness, chastity, honesty, goodwill, generosity, zeal, and diligence, just to name a few.