Skip to main content

The Way Forward - Leading A Virtuous Life - Part 5 Moral Virtues ► Fortitude

+
JMJ


This is not a reference to intestinal fortitude that is required to read Cardinal Kasper et al's writings. It is a reference to the virtue by which one endures the hardships that God sends us in life and specifically those that accompany this crisis of the Church.

These could include the separation from loved ones over Catholic principles (divorce, communion in the hand, priestesses, New Mass, Four V2 Things), or just trying to live as a Catholic in a Godless world (note this is worse than living in a pagan world ...)


First the summary diagram:







Fortitude

Just as temperance virtues remove from the will obstacles to rational good arising from sensuous pleasure, fortitude removes from the will those obstacles arising from the difficulties of doing what reason requires.

In short fortitude is the virtue by which one endures dangers and difficulties, even death itself, and is never dissuarded by fear from the pursuit of good.

Annexed Virtues

Patience disposes us to bear present evils with equanimity; the patient man is one who endures present evils in such a way as not to be inordinately cast down by them.

Munificence disposes us to incur great expenses for the suitable doing of a great work. This differs from liberality, since it deals not with ordinary expenses / donations, but those that are great. The the munificent man (or woman) is one who gives with royal generosity, in accordance with right reason.

Magnanimity implies a reaching out of the soul to great things, and regulates oneself in regards to honours. A magnanimous person aims at great works in every line of virtue, making it their purpose to do things worthy of great honour. Magnanimity is compatible with true humility.

"Magnanimity", says St. Thomas, "makes a man deem himself worthy of great honours in consideration of the Divine gifts he possesses; whilst humility makes him think little of himself in consideration of his own short-comings".

Perseverance, disposes us to continue striving / working for the accomplishment of good works in spite of the difficulties that are attached to them.

As a moral virtue it is not to be taken precisely for what is designated as final perseverance, that special gift of the predestined by which one is found in the state of grace at the moment of death.

It is used here to designate that virtue which disposes one to continuance in any virtuous work whatsoever.

Application in Today's World

I will try to be succinct.

In this crisis we need to be patient with God as He will resolve this crisis in His own time and manner. Too many dogmatize their opinions on how this crisis will be solved.

We also need to be patient with everyone affected by this crisis, Traditional and non-Traditional Catholics alike.  If we lose patience with them, then all good you may have done will be lost. (mea culpa).

This crisis will require much generosity in order to help Catholics survive this crisis. This can take the form of supporting a young (or old) man in the seminary, a seminary building project, your local chapel / parish.

We also need to realize that this crisis is our time to save our souls and those who we come into contact with. We need to do great things in a great manner, that is what is demanded of us - even if this greatness is done quietly.

Obviously, we need to persevere, striving to accomplish the good works that God has set us upon.  How do we know they're good: Examine them in the light of Catholic Principles (see link for a sample) and if you find they aren't aligned - then they aren't good!

P^3

Further Reading


Reference

APA citation. Waldron, M.A. (1912). Virtue. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved July 27, 2015 from New Advent: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15472a.htm

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

News Roundup: October 19, 2026

 + JMJ Well ... I was looking in my blog drafts and found this list from after my News is an Addiction post. So ... yep ... not totally able to disconnect from the news world at this point.  Frankly, I haven't read all of these articles - they catch my eye as I check for SSPX news regarding the exco's etc. So let's consider these topics as part of a higher level chronicle. They may not be key inflection points but helps to understand the flow of the world as perceived by the authors and myself who captured them as a snapshot in time. P^3 1 Popes Past Present and Future Benedict XVI and the Reforms of the Second Vatican Council: Re-Catholicizing the Liturgy—Part I - Adoremus RORATE CÆLI: France: Pope Lays Down the Law on Euthanasia RORATE CÆLI: "I went to France to preach the Gospel -- the Defense of Life is something that the Church believes very deeply" RORATE CÆLI: Image of the Day: the Pope at the Rebuilt Notre-Dame de Paris RORATE CÆLI: Leo XIV and the Place...

The Debt Canadian Traditional Catholics Owe to Fr. Yves Normandin (RIP)

 + JMJ On this All Souls day, I'd like to remind all Traditional Catholics in Canada the debt that they owe to Fr. Yves Normandin (RIP). Fr. Normandin stepped into the breach in the 1970's offering the Tridentine Mass across Canada for close to a decade before returning to his diocese for a number years before returning to the SSPX. I had the grace to visit him in Quebec twice and each time left with a greater appreciation of the fruits of his efforts. All of us 'old-timers' probably remembers Masses in Chapels, Homes, Halls, Funeral Homes, and event convention centres. I make the assertion that this laid the ground for all the Traditional Mass Communities, SSPX, FSSP, Diocesan and others. Probably a pretty safe assertion! In addition to praying for the repose of the Soul of Fr. Normandin, I'd ask you also pray for the repose of the soul of his Mother.  I remember seeing her picture once and everyone has a Mom and she is worthy of our prayers for producing such a so...

Morning and Evening and other sundry Prayers

+ JMJ Along the theme of P^3 (Prayer, Penance, Patience), and for my own reference ... here is a collection of Morning and Evening prayers from the Ideal Daily Missal along with some additional prayers. In this crisis of the Church, I do not think it is possible to do too much prayer, penance and have patience. P^3

SSPX: Requiescat in Pace - Nov. Devotions

 + JMJ Recently, the St. Gertrude prayer was recommended to me and given my devotion to the Holy Souls in Purgatory, I thought it a good inclusion in the morning prayers and post it here for as a reminder for November - the Month of the Holy Souls. P^3 Courtesy of SSPX.org “Forget not the dead and hasten to pray for them!” - such is the Church's recommendation, beautifully summarized by St. Augustine. In Purgatory until the End of the World Our Lady Herself referred to Purgatory when, at the first Fatima apparition in May 1917, she was asked by Lucia about the souls of two young village girls who had recently died. The Virgin answered that the first one, Maria das Nevas, who died when about 16 years of age, was in Heaven. But of Amelia, a young lady of 18 years at her death, "will be in purgatory until the end of the world.” The disclosure about Amelia’s prolonged period of expiation never fails to shock and trouble. We are so easily misled to believe that Heaven is our natura...

The News is an Addiction ...

 + JMJ People seem to be mesmerised by train wrecks.   They just can't turn away as the disaster creeps forward along train tracks towards the crossing where a car, truck, bus, trailer awaits its destruction. Trads have been watching the train wreck that is this crisis of the Catholic Church for decades. The trade war between the Canada and the US has reminded me that the news is addictive.   The first time I was addicted what from 2009 to  2014 when I was closely following the Rome / SSPX discussions.  I was at work watching a live-stream as Bishop Fellay disappeared into the Vatican. The lead-up to this moment had been intense as the 'resistance' got freaked out and the cultural cracks between doctrine and conspiracy theory widened. In the decade since then other things have emerged, wars, rumours of wars, conspiracies, celebrity Catholics etc. Now we have a new addiction and its name is Trump. Lately, no matter how much I try, I find myself wonderin...