ON THE THEOLOGICAL VIRTUES.

Decorative woodcut initial letter 'Q'

The first question is: Are the theological virtues infused habits? A "habit" in this scholastic context refers to a stable disposition or quality of the soul.
The answer is yes. The reasoning is that the theological virtues direct man toward a supernatural end, which is the beatific vision of God The direct, intuitive knowledge of God, considered the ultimate happiness of the soul.. Man cannot reach this end through his natural powers alone; instead, divine assistance is required, which is granted through supernatural habits—namely, the theological virtues: Faith, Hope, and Charity.

The second question is: Are the theological virtues distinct from one another?
The answer is that they are. The distinction is derived from their formal objects. The formal object of Faith is the First Truth, insofar as it is infallible. The formal object of Hope is a difficult Good, insofar as it is possible to obtain through divine assistance. The formal object of Charity is the supreme Good, insofar as it is lovable for its own sake.

Concerning Faith.

The third question is: What is Faith?
Faith is a supernatural habit by which the intellect assents to truths revealed by God, on account of the authority of God who reveals them. This definition consists of two parts: first, the act of the intellect, which is assent; second, the motive, which is divine authority.

The fourth question is: Does Faith reside in the intellect?
The answer is yes. Since the act of Faith is "to believe," and "believing" is an act of the intellect, the habit of Faith must reside in the intellect as its subject.

Concerning Hope.

The fifth question is: What is Hope?
Hope is a supernatural habit by which the will tends toward God as the supreme good, hoping that it will attain Him through the grace of God.

Concerning Charity.

The sixth question is: What is Charity?
Charity is a theological virtue by which God is loved for His own sake, and one's neighbor is loved for the sake of God. This is the greatest of the virtues, as the Apostle says in 1 Corinthians 13.