Virtues | Third Sunday of Lent

Mar 7

March 8, 2026

Jesus Christ, Yesterday, Today and Forever~

Two Sundays ago, I wrote a pastor’s column called “Do Something Special for God this Lent.” In the top five of twenty-four recommendations was going to Confession at least once during Lent.

We are fortunate at Columbia River Catholic to have multiple times and locations for the sacrament of Confession. Confession times are always listed on page 2 of the weekly bulletin. Here is the normal weekly schedule:

Holy Redeemer: Friday 3:30-4:30pm; Saturday 9:00-10:30am, 2:30-4:15pm; Sunday 7:30-8:15am, 10:00-10:45am.

St. Thomas Aquinas: Wednesday 5:00-5:45pm; Saturday 4:00-4:45pm; Sunday 7:30-8:15am. ‍

Star of the Sea: Sunday 10:45-11:15am. ‍

In addition to the Confession schedule, we will also host a penance service at Holy Redeemer with eight priests on Wednesday, April 1 at 6:00pm. That’s the night before Holy Thursday.

Why do we go to Confession? Because we’re sinners in need of reconciliation with God. Why do we sin? Because we are not virtuous enough to overcome our temptations to vices (evil). Here’s a little help with those virtues.

“A virtue is an 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” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, #1803).

Here is a full list of the virtues by Father Chad Ripperger

www.manandwar.com/2023/01/31/full-list-of-virtues-from-father-ripperger/

https://plus.openlightmedia.com/education-in-virtue/interactive-virtue-tree/?tab=program-content

The 3 theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity (love).

They are called “theological” (which means having to do with God) because they unite us directly to God. We cannot gain these supernatural virtues through our own human effort alone, so we need God’s grace. The theological virtues make us sharers in sanctifying grace and in God’s own nature. Through them, we may partake of his glory in eternal life.

Faith: the virtue by which one gives assent to the deposit of faith ‍

Hope: the virtue by which one awaits beatitude and has confidence in God’s aid

Charity: the virtue by which one loves God and one’s neighbor for the sake of God

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The 4 cardinal virtues of prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance.

The word “cardinal” means “hinge” in Latin. The cardinal virtues are like hinges on which all the other virtues depend. We can grow in the cardinal virtues by our own efforts to consciously develop them, but they can also be infused into our souls more deeply by God’s grace. Each of the cardinal virtues governs a particular aspect of the human person. ‍

Prudence: relates to our intellect, helping us know the truth.
Justice: helps our will to pursue the good.
Fortitude: governs our irascible passions, the emotions that help us face challenges.
Temperance: moderates our sense appetites (for food, drink, and sex) with the help of reason.

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Prudence (knowing the means to attain the end)

1. Memory: the virtue by which one remembers the right things pertaining to the action and its circumstances

2. Understanding: the ability to grasp practical principles and the nature of various situations

3. Docility: ability to be lead and take counsel from others ‍

4. Shrewdness: quickness in arriving at the means to an end

5. Reason: ability to reason about practical matters; the ability to apply universal practical principles to particular situations

6. Foresight: ability to see future outcomes of actions based upon past experience

7. Circumspection: virtue by which one takes careful consideration of one’s circumstances

8. Caution: application of knowledge of the past to action in order to avoid impediments and evils

9. Good Counsel: the habit of taking good counsel

10. Synesis: the ability to know what to do when the common law applies

11. Gnome: the ability to know what to do when the common law does not apply

Justice (render another his due)

1. Commutative: justice between individuals

2. Legal: justice of the individual to the common good

3. Distributive: justice of those in charge of the common good to the individual

4. Restitution: the habit by which one pays back what one owes

5. Religion: the virtue by which we render to God what is due to Him

6. Devotion: the habit by which one has a prompt will to do those things pertaining to the service of God

7. Prayer: the act (also a virtue) of lifting one’s mind and heart to God

8. Adoration: the act (also a virtue) by which one exhibits due reverence to God

9. Sacrifice: an act (also a virtue) by which one offers to God some good in the form of oblation ‍

10. Vow: binding oneself by means of a promise to doing something (usually in relation to the service of God) ‍

11. Adjuration: the swearing or taking of an oath, such as in a court of law

12. Piety: the virtue by which one renders to one’s parents due honor and reverence

13. Observances: making acts of religion

14. Dulia: giving due honor to one’s superiors

15. Obedience: promptness of will to do the will of one’s superior

16. Gratitude or Thankfulness: appreciation (normally expressed) to a benefactor for some gift given

17. Just vindication: the habit by which one puts an end to the harm caused by others

18. Truthfulness (honesty): the habit of telling the truth

19. Friendship or affability: the virtue by which one is able to be befriended

20. Liberality: the use of one’s surplus means to aid the poor

21. Epieikeia: the virtue by which one knows the mind of the legislator

Fortitude (the willingness to engage the arduous)

1. Magnanimity: the virtue by which one seeks excellence in all things but especially great things

2. Magnificence: the virtue by which one uses his wealth to do great things

3. Patience: the ability to suffer evils

4. Perseverance: the virtue by which one persists in the arduous good until the end is achieved

5. Longanimity: longness of soul; the ability to await the good

Temperance (the virtue which moderates the pleasures of touch)

1. Shame: fear of being perceived as lowly

2. Honestia: the habit of always seeking to do what is virtuous in each situation (may also be called integrity)

3. Abstinence: refraining from eating certain kinds of food

4. Fasting: refraining from eating good in general

5. Sobriety: the virtue by which one has moderated use of alcohol

6. Modesty: the virtue in which one’s externals do not draw others into sins against the 6th and 9th Commandment

7. Chastity: the virtue which moderates the pleasures of touch in relation to those matters pertaining to the 6th Commandment

8. Virginity: the habit of mind or soul which always refrains from taking delight, even interiorly, from pleasures associated with the 6th Commandment

9. Continence: a virtue of the will by which one remains steadfast despite the tumult of the appetites (usually in relation to matters pertaining to the 6th Commandment)

10. Clemency or meekness: moderation of the delight of vindication (of anger)

11. Humility: willingness to live in accordance with the truth; restraint of the irascible appetite from striving for excellence beyond one’s state; not judging oneself greater than he is; nor judging oneself less than they are

12. Eutrapelia: the virtue of right recreation

13. Decorum: the virtue in which one’s externals suits person and circumstances

14. Silence: the virtue by which one does not speak unless necessary; also the virtue in which one seeks to have interior quiet of the appetites

15. Studiousness: the virtue in which one pursues knowledge according to one’s state in life

16. Simplicity: the virtue in which one moderates one externals as to quantity (having neither more than is necessary nor less)

What Are The Seven Lively Virtues?

The virtues that counteract the Seven Deadly Sins (which we also call capital sins) are known as the Capital virtues.