Questions and Answers

1787. How can passions or feelings help one toward Beatitude? (CCC 1762) Passions or feelings can help toward Beatitude by:
1. disposing man to it
2. contributing to it.
1788. What is a passion or a feeling? (CCC 1763) A passion or a feeling is a movement of the sensitive appetite, meaning, a human inclination in which the senses participate.
The sensitive appetites constitute the soul’s lower faculties
1789. How do the passions affect man? (CCC 1763) The passions affect man by inclining him to act or not to act in regard to something felt or imagined to be good or evil.
1790. Where are the passions rooted? (CCC 1764) The passions are rooted in man’s soul.
1791. What is the most fundamental passion? (CCC 1765) The most fundamental passion is love.
1792. How is love aroused? (CCC 1765) Love is aroused by the attraction of the good.
1793. What does love cause in man? (CCC 1765) Love causes in man:
1. a desire for the absent good
2. the hope of obtaining it.
1794. Wherein does the movement of love find completion? (CCC 1765) The movement of love finds completion in the pleasure and joy of the good possessed.
1795. What is “to love” according to St Thomas Aquinas? (CCC 1766) According to St Thomas Aquinas († 1274) “to love” is “to will the good of another”.
1796. How do passions become morally qualified? (CCC 1767) Passions become morally qualified if they effectively engage reason and will.
1797. Are passions in themselves good or evil? (CCC 1767) Passions are in themselves neither good nor evil.
1798. When are passions said to be voluntary? (CCC 1767) Passions are said to be voluntary when either they are commanded by the will or the will does not place obstacles in their way.
1799. How does a passion become morally good? (CCC 1768) A passion becomes morally good when the upright will appropriates it and orders it to the good.
1800. How does a passion become morally evil? (CCC 1768) A passion becomes morally evil when an evil will succumbs to it and exacerbates it.
1801. Why are passions and feelings important in spiritual life? (CCC 1769) Passions and feelings are important in spiritual life, because the Holy Spirit accomplishes His work in man by mobilizing the whole human being, including ordered passions and feelings.
1802. In what does moral perfection consist? (CCC 1770) Moral perfection consists in man’s being moved to the good not by his will alone, but also by his sensitive appetite (= passions, feelings).