What do you think?
Rate this book
The Virtues
"...The truly great thing in Christianity, which does not dispense one from small, daily things but must not be concealed by them either, is this ability to come into contact with God."
---Pope Benedict XVI
One of the greatest teachers of our day, Pope Benedict XVI has frequently spoken about the pursuit of virtue. In these selections from homilies and addresses, the Holy Father draws on the lives of saints, the Catechism, and common experiences to bring us into a deeper understanding of the virtues and how to cultivate them in our own lives so that we can grow closer to the Lord.
Allow Pope Benedict XVI to instruct you on nurturing all the basic Christian virtues: Faith, Hope, and Charity, called the Theological Virtues and Prudence, Fortitude, Justice, and Temperance the Cardinal Virtues.
A virtue is a habitual and firm disposition to do the good. It allows the person not only to perform good acts, but to give the best of himself. The virtuous person tends toward the good with all his sensory and spiritual powers; he pursues the good and chooses it in concrete actions.
Catechism of the Catholic Church (1803)
---Pope Benedict XVI
One of the greatest teachers of our day, Pope Benedict XVI has frequently spoken about the pursuit of virtue. In these selections from homilies and addresses, the Holy Father draws on the lives of saints, the Catechism, and common experiences to bring us into a deeper understanding of the virtues and how to cultivate them in our own lives so that we can grow closer to the Lord.
Allow Pope Benedict XVI to instruct you on nurturing all the basic Christian virtues: Faith, Hope, and Charity, called the Theological Virtues and Prudence, Fortitude, Justice, and Temperance the Cardinal Virtues.
A virtue is a habitual and firm disposition to do the good. It allows the person not only to perform good acts, but to give the best of himself. The virtuous person tends toward the good with all his sensory and spiritual powers; he pursues the good and chooses it in concrete actions.
Catechism of the Catholic Church (1803)
142 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2010
8 people are currently reading
146 people want to read
About the author
Pope Benedict XVI
943 books950 followersOriginally
Joseph Ratzinger
, a noted conservative theologian before his election in 2005, Benedict XVI strove against the influence of secularism during his papacy to defend traditional Catholic teachings but since medieval times first resigned in 2013.
After Joseph Ratzinger served a long career as an academic and a professor at the University of Regensburg, Pope Paul VI appointed him as archbishop of Munich and Freising and cardinal in 1977. In 1981, he settled in Rome as prefect of the congregation for the doctrine of the faith, one most important office of the Roman curia. He also served as dean of the college of cardinals.
Benedict XVI reigned 265th in virtue of his office of bishop of Rome, the sovereign of the state of Vatican City and the head of the Church. A conclave named him on 19 April 2005; he celebrated his inaugural Mass on 24 April 2005 and took possession of his Lateran cathedral basilica of Saint John on 7 May 2005.
Benedict XVI succeeded Saint John Paul II, predecessor and his prolific writings on doctrine and values. Benedict XVI advocated a return to fundamental Christian values to counter the increase of many developed countries. Relativism denied objective truth and moral truths in particular; he viewed this central problem of the 21st century. With the importance of the Church, he understood redemptive love of God. He reaffirmed the "importance of prayer in the face of the activism" "of many Christians engaged in charitable work." Benedict also revived a number and elevated the Tridentine Mass to a more prominent position.
Benedict founded and patronized of the Ratzinger foundation, a charitable organization, which from the sale of books and essays makes money to fund scholarships and bursaries for students across the world.
Due to advanced age on 11 February 2013, Benedict announced in a speech in Latin and cited a "lack of strength of mind and body" before the cardinals. He effectively left on 28 February 2013.As emeritus, Benedict retained the style of His Holiness, and the title and continued to dress in the color of white. He moved into the newly renovated monastery of Mater Ecclesiae for his retirement. Pope Francis succeeded him on 13 March 2013.
(more info on Ratzinger Foundation: https://www.ewtn.com/library/Theology...)
After Joseph Ratzinger served a long career as an academic and a professor at the University of Regensburg, Pope Paul VI appointed him as archbishop of Munich and Freising and cardinal in 1977. In 1981, he settled in Rome as prefect of the congregation for the doctrine of the faith, one most important office of the Roman curia. He also served as dean of the college of cardinals.
Benedict XVI reigned 265th in virtue of his office of bishop of Rome, the sovereign of the state of Vatican City and the head of the Church. A conclave named him on 19 April 2005; he celebrated his inaugural Mass on 24 April 2005 and took possession of his Lateran cathedral basilica of Saint John on 7 May 2005.
Benedict XVI succeeded Saint John Paul II, predecessor and his prolific writings on doctrine and values. Benedict XVI advocated a return to fundamental Christian values to counter the increase of many developed countries. Relativism denied objective truth and moral truths in particular; he viewed this central problem of the 21st century. With the importance of the Church, he understood redemptive love of God. He reaffirmed the "importance of prayer in the face of the activism" "of many Christians engaged in charitable work." Benedict also revived a number and elevated the Tridentine Mass to a more prominent position.
Benedict founded and patronized of the Ratzinger foundation, a charitable organization, which from the sale of books and essays makes money to fund scholarships and bursaries for students across the world.
Due to advanced age on 11 February 2013, Benedict announced in a speech in Latin and cited a "lack of strength of mind and body" before the cardinals. He effectively left on 28 February 2013.As emeritus, Benedict retained the style of His Holiness, and the title and continued to dress in the color of white. He moved into the newly renovated monastery of Mater Ecclesiae for his retirement. Pope Francis succeeded him on 13 March 2013.
(more info on Ratzinger Foundation: https://www.ewtn.com/library/Theology...)
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
August 17, 2024
Read the book in one sitting. It will go on the forever shelf and become a book of reference for me.
August 18, 2014
Collection of excerpts about the seven virtues, selected from Benedict XVI's papal writings and speeches.
March 19, 2013
At a mere 142 pages, this book is a delightful gem and wonderful gift idea. The book is divided into two distinct sections: Part one contains the Theological Virtues and part two features the Cardinal Virtues (see also CCC 1803-1832). The book is comprised of excerpts from the Holy Father's homilies, addresses and encyclicals paired with quotes from Scripture and the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
Though I find it imperative for all Catholics to read the encyclicals and addresses as they come available and refer to them for further study, this book highlights the heart of the writings with a special focus upon the importance of living a virtuous life. From his encyclical Spe Salvi, the Holy Father explains:
"It is not science that redeems man: man is redeemed by love. This applies even in terms of this present world. When someone has the experience of a great love in his life, this is a moment of "redemption" which gives a new meaning to his life. But soon he will also realize that the love bestowed upon him cannot by itself resolve the question of his life. It is a love that remains fragile. It can be destroyed by death.The human being needs unconditional love. He needs the certainty which makes him say: "neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38-39). If this absolute love exists, with its absolute certainty, then -- only then -- is man "redeemed," whatever should happen to him in his particular circumstances. This is what it means to say: Jesus Christ has "redeemed" us. Through him we have become certain of God, a God who is not a remote "first cause" of the world, because his only-begotten Son has become man and of him everyone can say: "I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20)."
In a time where modern occurrences can leave us feeling there is little to hope, sensing a decline in faith among people and an overwhelming absence of charity, Pope Benedict XVI reminds us that with the assistance of the Paraclete we too can be redeemed by immeasurable love. The love of Christ which supersedes all other others.
I highly recommend this book and think it would be wonderful to have with me next time I attend adoration. The theological insights shared by our Holy Father can only serve to bring one closer to Christ.
Though I find it imperative for all Catholics to read the encyclicals and addresses as they come available and refer to them for further study, this book highlights the heart of the writings with a special focus upon the importance of living a virtuous life. From his encyclical Spe Salvi, the Holy Father explains:
"It is not science that redeems man: man is redeemed by love. This applies even in terms of this present world. When someone has the experience of a great love in his life, this is a moment of "redemption" which gives a new meaning to his life. But soon he will also realize that the love bestowed upon him cannot by itself resolve the question of his life. It is a love that remains fragile. It can be destroyed by death.The human being needs unconditional love. He needs the certainty which makes him say: "neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38-39). If this absolute love exists, with its absolute certainty, then -- only then -- is man "redeemed," whatever should happen to him in his particular circumstances. This is what it means to say: Jesus Christ has "redeemed" us. Through him we have become certain of God, a God who is not a remote "first cause" of the world, because his only-begotten Son has become man and of him everyone can say: "I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20)."
In a time where modern occurrences can leave us feeling there is little to hope, sensing a decline in faith among people and an overwhelming absence of charity, Pope Benedict XVI reminds us that with the assistance of the Paraclete we too can be redeemed by immeasurable love. The love of Christ which supersedes all other others.
I highly recommend this book and think it would be wonderful to have with me next time I attend adoration. The theological insights shared by our Holy Father can only serve to bring one closer to Christ.
February 5, 2011
This book is a collection of the writings of Pope Benedict as found in his first two encyclicals and his numerous homilies, meditations, and other speeches given as Pope. As always, Pope Benedict is great to read; however, this compelation is not. The editor has done a horrible job of relating these selections to the actual themes of each virtue. It is as if the editor just performed a word search for passages of Benedict's writing containing the word of each virtue (faith, hope, prudence for example) without reading the passage to see if it actually helped one grow in the virtue described. This book is not a good book on the virtues.
August 1, 2013
I wish these had not been excerpts, but fuller bodies of work. Still, they provided an excellent introduction to the concept of the virtues from the Catholic intellectual tradition, while also illuminating some of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI's style and articulation.
August 2, 2016
Not what I thought. just excerpts.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews