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.

Q. 476. {111} Is grace necessary to salvation?
A. Grace is necessary to salvation, because without grace we can do
nothing to merit heaven.

Q. 477. {112} Can we resist the grace of God?
A. We can, and unfortunately often do, resist the grace of God.

Q. 478. Is it a sin knowingly to resist the grace of God?
A. It is a sin, knowingly, to resist the grace of God,