The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)

Episode: Day 241—The Cardinal Virtues (2025)
Date: August 29, 2025
Reading: Catechism of the Catholic Church, Paragraphs 1803-1811

Overview

In this episode, Fr. Mike Schmitz explores the “cardinal virtues”—prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance—as foundational human virtues essential for living a moral and Christlike life. Drawing from paragraphs 1803-1811 of the Catechism, Fr. Mike explains each virtue’s definition, practical significance, and the necessity of grace in pursuing them. He delves into how virtues shape our moral character and enable us to live in true freedom and joy.

Key Points & Insights

1. Purpose and Nature of the Virtues

(00:05–02:25)

• The moral life isn’t just about being “good” but about being like Jesus: having his heart, seeing the world as he does, and loving as he loved.

• The virtues, especially the cardinal virtues, are not arbitrary. They are “the ‘hinge’ virtues”—the foundation upon which a healthy, free, and moral life is built.

• Fr. Mike underscores that virtues are “habitual and firm dispositions to do the good”—not mere occasional choices.

  "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."
  —Fr. Mike (quoting the Catechism), 02:13

2. Freedom & Virtue

(02:25–03:15)

• Fr. Mike emphasizes that virtue leads to genuine freedom: not the “ability to do whatever I want” but “the power to do what I ought to do.”

• Virtues are not a straitjacket; they empower self-mastery, ease, and joy in choosing the good.

  "Virtues are not straightjackets. They're meant to be the habitual disposition to do the good."
  —Fr. Mike, 01:38

3. Virtues Defined and Distinguished From Mere Occasional Goodness

(03:15–06:25)

• Being virtuous means consistently choosing the good, not just occasionally.

• Fr. Mike offers relatable analogies: like playing tennis or basketball well not by chance, but by constant skill.

  "The ability to once in a while make a good shot does not make a person a good tennis player...What makes a person a virtuous person is not to occasionally tell the truth...It's to consistently be virtuous."
  —Fr. Mike, 04:10

• Virtues engage both “sensory and spiritual powers” and are expressed in concrete actions, not just in intention.

4. Overview of the Four Cardinal (“Hinge”) Virtues

(06:25–10:00) The four cardinal virtues structure and govern the moral life, guiding our actions, passions, and decisions according to reason and faith:

A. Prudence

(07:13)

• Disposes practical reason to discern our true good and choose the right means.

• Not to be confused with timidity; it’s “right reason in action.”

• “Doing the right thing, at the right time, in the right way.”

  "Prudence is doing the right thing at the right time in the right way."
  —Fr. Mike, 08:06

B. Justice

(08:29)

• The constant and firm will to give each their due—first to God (virtue of religion), and then neighbor.

• Includes respecting rights and promoting equity.

  "Justice is giving someone what they’re due."
  —Fr. Mike, 08:54

C. Fortitude

(09:09)

• Ensures firmness in difficulty and constancy in pursuit of the good.

• It’s the virtue that upholds all others “at the sticking point” (the moment when they are most needed).

• Enables courageous response, even at great personal cost.

  "If I don’t have fortitude, I don’t actually have any of the other virtues, because I don’t actually have them when I need them. I just have them when they’re convenient."
  —Fr. Mike, 09:40

D. Temperance

(10:10)

• Moderates attraction to pleasures; provides balance in the use of created goods.

• Ensures the will’s mastery over instincts and passions; keeps desires within honorable limits.

• Fr. Mike humorously shares personal experience: sudden cravings for Chinese food when he sees it in movies, as an example of a passion needing temperance for proper ordering.

  "Temperance is using the right thing at the right time in the right way."
  —Fr. Mike, 10:24

5. Virtues, Passions, and Human Instincts

(11:00–13:54)

• Virtues govern and order the passions, which are neither good nor bad in themselves.

• Examples discussed: “mother’s love” is good when it leads to self-sacrifice, but if it leads to lying or cheating for a child, it must be ordered by justice.

• Loyalty to family is good but not absolute: loyalty can never override justice or truth.

  "[Virtue] orders our passions. Those instincts we have are neither good nor bad...there are times they need to be ordered in a different way."
  —Fr. Mike, 12:03

6. Growing in Virtue—Human Effort & Divine Grace

(13:54–15:22)

• Virtues are formed by deliberate acts, repetition, and perseverance, then purified and elevated by grace.

• Christ’s gift of salvation gives the grace needed to persevere in virtue, especially for those weakened by sin.

• Cooperation with grace, frequenting the sacraments, and prayer are necessary for moral growth.

  "With God’s help they forge character and give facility in the practice of the good...Christ’s gift of salvation offers us the grace necessary to persevere in the pursuit of the virtues."
  —Fr. Mike (paraphrasing the Catechism), 14:30

7. Memorable Closing and Encouragement

(15:22–16:39)

• Fr. Mike reiterates that the goal is not occasional virtue but consistent, habitual choosing of the good.

• Tomorrow’s episode will cover the theological virtues: faith, hope, and love.

  "We are called to not just occasionally do the right thing, but to consistently do the right thing...to become actually those constant and firm good people, morally good people, who have the virtue, the power to do what we ought on a regular basis."
  —Fr. Mike, 16:15

Notable Quotes

• “To live well is nothing other than to love God with all one’s heart, with all one’s soul, and with all one’s efforts. From this it comes about that love is kept whole and uncorrupted through temperance. No misfortune can disturb it, and this is fortitude. It obeys only God, and this is justice, and it is careful in discerning things so as not to be surprised by deceit or trickery, and this is prudence.” —St. Augustine, read by Fr. Mike, 12:48

• “Freedom is not the ability to do whatever I want. Freedom is the power to do what I ought to do.” —Fr. Mike, 03:00

• "Fortitude is all the other virtues at the moment they are needed most." —Fr. Mike, 09:23

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:05–02:25: Intro; mission of virtues and moral life
• 02:25–03:15: Virtue as freedom, not limitation
• 03:15–06:25: Habitual, not occasional, virtue; defining virtue
• 06:25–10:00: Detailed exploration of prudence, justice, fortitude, temperance
• 11:00–13:54: Ordering passions and instincts; virtues in everyday scenarios
• 13:54–15:22: Growing in virtue by human effort and grace
• 15:22–16:39: Call to consistent virtue; preview of next episode

Conclusion

This episode provides a clear, accessible guide to understanding the four cardinal virtues—key guides for moral living, not as constraints but as the path to true freedom and fulfillment in Christ. Fr. Mike unpacks the Catechism’s teachings with practical analogies, personal reflection, and encouragement to seek both human discipline and divine grace in the pursuit of virtue.