Are virtues really acquired by human effort?

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vladib2b

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The CCC states that the human virtues are acquired by human effort. And yet, some people seem to possess virtues quite naturally, almost genetically. For instance, some people seem naturally patient. And patience is a virtue(!) Others seem to be naturally prudent, kind, honest, etc. Never perfect, mind you, but enough that in these instances we would say that such people possess these virtues.
 
I always thought they were gifts from God which we develop and nurture. In that since, we do develop them of our own power because it is through our actions that we either grow or diminish in a particular virtue.

I’m open to correction, but that’s always been my understanding.
 
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Yes. aided by the grace of God.
If we could not be virtuous by our own volition, we should just all give up, no?
Just continue to be selfish, vain, obnoxious, belligerent, or jealous?
No of course not. People do change. Ask any convert
People do change. That’s growing in virtue.
God gives us the grace to do so.
 
I think that is well put. I think the OP is referring to CCC 1804:
CCC 1804 Human virtues are firm attitudes, stable dispositions, habitual perfections of intellect and will that govern our actions, order our passions, and guide our conduct according to reason and faith. They make possible ease, self-mastery, and joy in leading a morally good life. The virtuous man is he who freely practices the good.

The moral virtues are acquired by human effort. They are the fruit and seed of morally good acts; they dispose all the powers of the human being for communion with divine love.
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This is one of those “both/and” situations. Yes, we certainly grow in virtue through our own moral acts. But grace also builds on nature. Some people are more laid back and thus patience might be easier for them to practice. Others might be more high strung and it might be more difficult. It doesn’t mean that both types of people don’t grow in virtue through their actions. All of us can always be more patient.
 
Does being naturally calm give you the virtue of patience? I don’t think so. It just makes the number of occasions where you have to be patient more rare. So I think it may be plausible that virtues are necessarily acquired (though through effort AND grace).
 
Everyone is born with different gifts and different shortcomings.

Besides differences in temperaments there are also differences in a person’s environment (or, nurturing) that they have no control over, that effect how easy it is for them to be virtuous.
 
I [me personally here] would say a BETTER term, might be “human cooperation”…freely seeking and then cooperating with God OFFER of grace.

As for “others having the virtues”

God commits himself to OFFER “sufficient grace” that every Soul might [could] be saved

Catholic ARE to seek ALL of them. …“Be Perfect as your heavenly Father is Perfect”
 
I think it’s both.

For the nature part, every human is born with an innate sense of right and wrong. This is what the Catholic Church calls Natural Law.

For the effort part, you have to put in actual work to enhance and maintain virtues. It’s like exercise; you can’t take the easy way if you want to see results.
 
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