Virtues
Forming character through faith
When we ground our moral decisions in faith, we begin to see ourselves as more than rule followers. We become people who can help build a more just world. This shows us that our choices matter, not just for our own lives but for the good of others. It becomes a journey that transforms hearts, strengthens community, and puts love into action.
The Catholic faith explains morality in three simple parts: the why, which is that God loves us first; the what, which includes the Ten Commandments and other key teachings; and the how, which involves living that love through conscience, free will, responsibility, and grace.
This post focuses on the who—the person making the moral choices—because at the end of the day, it is about who we are becoming.
The building blocks of character
One of the most important questions we can ask ourselves is one we are answering every day through our actions: “What kind of person am I, and what kind of person do I want to become?”
This question isn’t about specific moral dilemmas. It’s about who we are at our core as we face choices every day.
Character is made up of the virtues, or good habits, and the vices, or bad habits, that a person develops through repeated moral choices. Each of us is a mix of both. Moral acts, whether large or small, good or bad, are what ultimately shape our character.
The choices we make tomorrow will be shaped by our character today. We bring our character into every decision. And every decision we make helps form the character we carry into the next one.
Here are some simple definitions of character, virtue and vice:
Character: The qualities of a person that are shaped by the good habits and the bad habits they have developed by repetition of good and bad moral actions.
Virtue: A good moral habit developed by the repetition of good moral actions.
Vice: A bad moral habit developed by the repetition of bad moral actions.
The character cycle: why every choice matters
Every small choice shapes the kind of person we’re becoming. The following story shows how habits, both good and bad, form over time and influence future decisions. Rooted in a real life scenario, it invites us to become more aware of our actions, and treat others with care and respect.
Let’s say that one day a student is faced with a choice in school: she can join in on making fun of somebody, she can walk away from the situation, or she can speak up in defense of the person being ridiculed. Suppose she joins in with the others and gets a lot of laughs for her clever, but hurtful, sarcastic comments. The next day, a similar situation comes up. She will probably find it a little easier than the day before to join in on being sarcastic.
If a whole week goes by and she ridicules somebody every day, she develops a habit. In this case, it is a vice, not a virtue. She is not just poking fun occasionally but is becoming mean.
Now every time she is faced with a decision to be hurtful or not, the meanness in her character influences her decision. In fact, she is so used to ridiculing others that it doesn’t even feel like she’s deciding. It seems to come automatically. Her character is shaping her actions.
The example of this girl illustrates a character cycle in which a vice, meanness, is involved. But we could just as easily give a happier example of a virtue like compassion developing and shaping a person’s later actions. Here is a way the cycle looks in a simple diagram:
Once a person has developed a persistent vice that has become part of their character, it is not impossible to change, but it can be difficult. The place to begin changing is in the little actions of everyday life. Becoming aware that one is making choices in doing those actions may be the first challenge. Once aware, a person has a chance to try to make changes.
The daily decision to grow
Every day, each of us faces a choice about the kind of person we want to be. Living a virtuous life is not about perfection, but about making small, intentional decisions. These choices shape our character and help us grow closer to the best version of ourselves. Embrace each new day as an opportunity to live with purpose and compassion.
Adapted from Understanding Catholic Christianity, by Barbara Allaire, Et al., (Saint Mary’s Press, 2023). Copyright © 2023 by Saint Mary’s Press. All rights reserved.
