Have we now a sufficient knowledge of all the virtues that man must practise in order to get to heaven, and of the sins he must avoid so as not to lose heaven and gain hell?
Yes. For we have learnt about the three great virtues of faith, hope, and charity, whereby man can attain his last supernatural end in the way that he must attain it in this life, so that it might direct his steps aright and command as it were his life of virtue. We have learnt also about the four great moral or cardinal virtues, which are prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance, with all the virtues annexed to them; and we have considered them not only in the natural order in so far as they are called the acquired virtues, but also in the supernatural order in which they are called the infused virtues, and on this head they are on a level with the theological virtues. We have seen that these virtues effect that man is able to direct his moral life with regard both to himself and his neighbour as it behoves in order that his life may be in harmony in all things with his supernatural end. If man practises all these virtues, connected as they are with the corresponding gifts of the Holy Ghost, they are sufficient for the attainment of the vision of God which we know must be his eternal happiness in heaven. If, however, man sins against any one of the above virtues he must by means of another virtue which is called penance (and of which we shall speak in the Third Part) make satisfaction for his sin in union with the satisfaction of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Can such a thing be found anywhere on earth as the putting into practice of the whole of the virtues and the coming into play of all the gifts which truly constitute man's life on earth?
Yes, such a life is found under two forms which are distinct, and in some sense separate; these two forms are called the contemplative and the active life (CLXXIX.-CLXXXII.).
Next - The Catechism of the Summa - LIX. OF THE TWO KINDS OF LIFE, VIZ., OF THE ACTIVE AND THE CONTEMPLATIVE; OF THE STATE OF PERFECTION-OF THE RELIGIOUS LIFE; AND OF THE RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES IN THE CHURCH (B)
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