The Seven Virtues: The Seven Last Words and the Art of Practicing Virtue

World-renowned evangelist and New York Times best-selling author Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen presents a collection of engaging sermons, encouraging the reader in the practice of the three theological virtues of faith, hope and charity along with the four cardinal virtues of prudence, temperance, justice and fortitude.

During these reflections, Sheen will make a connection between these seven virtues and the Seven Last Words spoken by Jesus from the Cross. While these meditations by Fulton J. Sheen on the Seven Last Words correlated to the seven virtues make no pretence to absoluteness, they do make convenient points of illustrations.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PREFACE

INTRODUCTION

THE FIRST VIRTUE - FORTITUDE - "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."

THE SECOND VIRTUE - HOPE - "This day thou shalt be with Me in Paradise."

THE THIRD VIRTUE - PRUDENCE - "Woman, behold thy son! (Son) Behold thy mother!."

THE FOURTH VIRTUE - FAITH - "My God! My God! Why hast Thou hast abandoned Me?"

THE FIFTH VIRTUE - TEMPERANCE - I thirst."

THE SIXTH VIRTUE - JUSTICE - "It is finished."

THE SEVENTH VIRTUE - CHARITY - "Father, into Thy Hands, I commend My Spirit."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

This book has one main aim and that is to awaken an appreciation of the Passion of Our Lord and to hopefully incite the practice of virtue. If it does that in but one soul its publication has been justified.

Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen was a man for all seasons. Over his lifetime, he spent himself for souls, transforming lives with the clear teaching of the truths of Christ and His Church through his books, his radio addresses, his lectures, his television series, and his many newspaper columns.

The topics of this much-sought-after lecturer ranged from the social concerns of the day to matters of faith and morals. With an easy and personable manner, Sheen could strike up a conversation on just about any subject, making numerous friends as well as converts.

During the 1930s and '40s, Fulton Sheen was the featured speaker on The Catholic Hour radio broadcast, and millions of listeners heard his radio addresses each week. His topics ranged from politics and the economy to philosophy and man's eternal pursuit of happiness.

Along with his weekly radio program, Sheen wrote dozens of books and pamphlets. One can safely say that through his writings, thousands of people changed their perspective about God and the Church. Sheen was quoted as saying, "There are not one hundred people in the United States who hate the Catholic Church, but there are millions who hate what they wrongly perceive the Catholic Church to be."

Possessing a burning zeal to dispel the myths about Our Lord and His Church, Sheen gave a series of powerful presentations on Christ's Passion and His seven last words from the Cross. As a Scripture scholar, Archbishop Sheen knew full well the power contained in preaching Christ crucified. With St. Paul, he could say, "For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified" (1 Cor. 2:2).

During his last recorded Good Friday address in 1979, Archbishop Sheen spoke of having given this type of reflection on the subject of Christ's seven last words from the Cross "for the fifty-eighth consecutive time." Whether from the young priest in Peoria, Illinois, the university professor in Washington, D.C., or the bishop in New York, Sheen's messages were sure to make an indelible mark on his listeners.

Given their importance and the impact they had on society, it seemed appropriate to reintroduce these reflections from 1940 on the seven virtues.

God Love You.