|Catechism of the Catholic Church| IntraText - Text I. The Human
Virtues Human virtues are firm attitudes, stable dispositions,
habitual perfections of intellect and will that govern our
actions, order our passions, and guide our conduct according to
reason and faith. They make possible ease, self-mastery, and joy
in leading a morally good life. the virtuous man is he who
freely practices the good. The moral virtues are acquired by
human effort. They are the fruit and seed of morally good acts;
they dispose all the powers of the human being for communion
with divine love. The cardinal virtues 1805 Four virtues play a
pivotal role and accordingly are called "cardinal"; all the
others are grouped around them. They are: prudence, justice,
fortitude, and temperance. "If anyone loves righteousness,
[Wisdom's] labors are virtues; for she teaches temperance and
prudence, justice, and courage."64 These virtues are praised
under other names in many passages of Scripture. 1806 Prudence
is the virtue that disposes pract