Notes from Gathered for the Journey Six (6) essays David McCarthy

Habit—an enduring realityThree characteristics of virtue or habit. :1. A person with a virtue or habit can be relied upon to ―consistently act inconformity with the habit.‖ (199)2. A person with a virtue or habit spontaneously acts out of this virtue—―it feels like―a second nature‖ or ―natural‖ to act in conformity with that habit. Nodissonance—a ―no-brainer‖. This term ―second nature‖ may be found in bothAristotle and St. Thomas Aquinas who is deeply influenced by Aristotle‘swritings on ethics.3. A person with virtue or habit is concerned with internal dispositions, particularlyintentions ―In other words, a habit not only inclines a person to do certain sorts ofacts but also to do them in a certain way, and for particular reasons.‖ (200) [i.e.for the love of God, celebrating love of neighbor or seeing Christ in the poorest,abandoned dying person—Mother Teresa]The term ―virtue‖ applies in general.Mattison wants to make sure we understand that virtuous living can be realizedand expressive of various belief systems.The key is that ―A virtuous person not only consistently and automaticallyperforms good actions, but also does so for the right reason.‖ (200)Note this ―right reason‖ requires a philosophy of the good—and this philosophicalvision can come from a secular humanist, Buddhist, Muslim etc. [Instructor’saside: The key is Christian virtues, originating in Christian philosophy of thegood, grounding discipleship in Christ. (cf. class notes)].A virtue ―is named for the sort of activity it does well.‖ (200)Two categories of ―doing well‖—(1) theological and (2) moral or ―in the world‖Each virtue has a particular ―object‖—its own sort of activity. (200)1. Theological: We can ―do‖ faith, hope and charity ―well‖—the theologicalvirtues ―In sum, the theological virtues concern God directly (object).They are obtained by grace or infused, and concern our ultimate destinywith God.‖ (201) note the need to obtain grace and infusion in andthrough the Holy Spirit.2. Moral : Our focus is on the virtues that ―concern ‗inner-worldly‘ activitiessuch as eating, drinking, engaging in sexual relations, distributing goods,making practical decisions, and facing difficulties. (201)We call these the cardinal virtues—the four general areas of virtuous living. Notethere are a vast number of virtues—but these are the four that act as the ―hinge‖(L. cardo ―hinge‖) for all the other virtues. They are prudence, justice, fortitudeand temperance.The ―objects‖ of cardinal virtues are inner-worldly activities—rather than God asin the theological virtues of faith, hope and love.Fundamental Moral Theology Page 48 of 54Class Notes – Father Michael Seger