Q. 463.  What do you mean by virtue and vice?  A. Virtue is the habit of doing good, and vice is the habit of doing evil.  An act, good or bad, does not form a habit; and hence, a virtue or a vice is the result of repeated acts of the same kind.

Q. 464.  Does habit excuse us from the sins committed through it?  A. Habit does not excuse us from the sins committed through it, but rather makes us more guilty by showing how often we must have committed the sin to acquire the habit.  If, however, we are seriously trying to overcome a bad habit, and through forgetfulness yield to it, the habit may sometimes excuse us from the sin.

Q. 465. {107} What is Faith? 
A. Faith is a Divine virtue by which we firmly believe the truths which
God has revealed.

Q. 466. {108} What is Hope? 
A. Hope is a Divine virtue by which we firmly trust that God will give
us eternal life and the means to obtain it.

Q. 467. {109} What is Charity? 
A. Charity is a Divine virtue by which we love God above all things for
His own sake, and our neighbor as ourselves for the love of God.

Q. 468.  Why are Faith, Hope and Charity called virtues?  A. Faith, Hope and Charity are called virtues because they are not mere acts, but habits by which we always and in all things believe God, hope in Him, and love Him.

Q. 469.  What kind of virtues are Faith, Hope and Charity?  A. Faith, Hope and Charity are called infused theological virtues to distinguish them from the four moral virtues—­Prudence, Justice, Fortitude and Temperance.

Q. 470.  Why do we say the three theological virtues are infused and the four moral virtues acquired?  A. We say the three theological virtues are infused; that is, poured into our souls, because they are strictly gifts of God and do not depend upon our efforts to obtain them, while the four moral virtues—­Prudence, Justice, Fortitude and Temperance—­though also gifts of God, may, as natural virtues, be acquired by our own efforts.

Q. 471.  Why do we believe God, hope in Him, and love Him?  A. We believe God and hope in Him because He is infinitely true and cannot deceive us.  We love Him because He is infinitely good and beautiful and worthy of all love.

Q. 472.  What mortal sins are opposed to Faith?  A. Atheism, which is a denial of all revealed truths, and heresy, which is a denial of some revealed truths, and superstition, which is a misuse of religion, are opposed to Faith.

Q. 473.  Who is our neighbor?  A. Every human being capable of salvation of every age, country, race or condition, especially if he needs our help, is our neighbor in the sense of the Catechism.

Q. 474.  Why should we love our neighbor?  A. We should love our neighbor because he is a child of God, redeemed by Jesus Christ, and because he is our brother created to dwell in heaven with us.

Q. 475. {110} What is actual grace?  A. Actual grace is that help of God which enlightens our mind and moves our will to shun evil and do good.