Question:
Answer:
By living a faithful Catholic life, taking full advantage of the sacraments available to you, including the Eucharist and the Sacrament of Reconciliation. We need God’s grace to live a virtuous life, and the sacraments are the ordinary and preeminent means of attaining and growing in virtue, beginning in Baptism.
By cooperating with God’s grace, we grow in virtue, i.e., developing good habits (CCC 1803ff.). The Church distinguishes between human and theological virtues, the latter of which are infused by God as free gifts, beginning in Baptism, but all of which are increased by cooperative human effort and perfected by grace (CCC 1810ff.).
Note to Tim and Tim:
I don’t think this previously published answer on our website does a good job on the subject.
https://www.catholic.com/qa/whats-the-catholic-understanding-of-virtue
I wanted to link to it, but it inadequately addresses the subject, failing to note clearly that theological virtues are infused, and that virtues in general are not simply a grace but in fact require cooperative human effort and yet are purified and elevated in grace (CCC 1810-11). Suggest we flag this until modified or combine the best of it and my new one, or keep mine as a separate response and improve the existing one with excerpts from mine since they cover a little different, though overlapping, territory. Thanks.
https://www.catholic.com/qa/whats-the-catholic-understanding-of-virtue