SEVEN GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

The 'Seven gifts of the Holy Spirit' are gifts which Anglicans, Catholics, and Lutherans believe the Holy Spirit gives to people to further their sanctification and help "complete and perfect the virtues of those who receive them."[1]
These gifts are enumerated (approximately) in Isaiah 11:2-3.
Here are the names of the seven gifts, as given[2] in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, along with a description of each gift, as defined[3] by St. Thomas Aquinas in the Summa Theologica:

★ Wisdom - The gift of wisdom perfects a person's speculative reason in matters of judgment about the truth.

★ Understanding - Also called "Common Sense." The gift of understanding perfects a person's speculative reason in the apprehension of truth. It is the gift "whereby self-evident principles are known."[4]

★ Knowledge - The gift of knowledge perfects a person's practical reason in matters of judgment about the truth.

★ Counsel - Also called "Right Judgment." The gift of counsel perfects a person's practical reason in the apprehension of truth and allows the person to respond prudently, "moved through the research of reason."

★ Fortitude - Also called "Courage." The gift of fortitude allows people the "firmness of mind [that] is required both in doing good and in enduring evil, especially with regard to goods or evils that are difficult."

★ Piety - Also called "Reverance." Piety is the gift "whereby, at the Holy Spirit's instigation, we pay worship and duty to God as our Father."

★ Fear of the Lord - Also called "Wonder and Awe in God." This gift is described by Aquinas as a fear of separating oneself from God. He describes the gift as a "filial fear," like a child's fear of offending his father, rather than a "servile fear," that is, a fear of punishment.
Aquinas says the first four of these gifts (wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and counsel) direct the intellect, while the other three gifts (fortitude, piety, and fear of the Lord) direct the will toward God.
Theologians consider the gifts of the Holy Spirit to be supernatural and permanent qualities given by God that are magnified after the Sacrament of Confirmation; that make one attentive to the voice of God; that render one susceptible to the workings of actual grace; that make one love the things of God; and that, consequently, render one more obedient and docile to the inspirations of the Holy Ghost.^[1]
In some respects, the gifts are similar to the virtues but a key distinction is that the virtues operate under the impetus of human reason (prompted by grace), whereas the gifts operate under the impetus of the Holy Spirit; the former can be used when one wishes, but the latter operate only when the Holy Spirit wishes.^[2] The former are like the oars of a boat; the latter, the sails.
Another related but distinct notion are the spiritual gifts that St. Paul describes in, for example, 1 Cor 12-14, which are, by contrast, given for the upbuilding of others. These are also part of the Catholic tradition but more commonly known as ''charisms'' or ''charismata''.
In Summa Theologica II.2, Thomas Aquinas asserts the following correspondences between the seven Capital Virtues and the seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit:[5]

★ The gift of wisdom corresponds to the virtue of charity.

★ The gift of understanding corresponds to the virtue of faith.

★ The gift of knowledge corresponds to the virtue of faith.

★ The gift of counsel corresponds to the virtue of prudence.

★ The gift of fortitude corresponds to the virtue of fortitude.

★ The gift of piety corresponds to the virtue of justice.

★ The gift of fear of the Lord corresponds to the virtue of hope.
The seven gifts were often represented as doves in Medieval art, and especially figure in depictions of the Tree of Jesse which shows the Genealogy of Jesus. In many such depictions the doves encircle a bust of Christ.

Contents

Use in Sacrament of Confirmation

Use in Sacrament of Confirmation

In the Catholic Sacrament of Confirmation, Candidates may be asked to write a summary on each of the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit and apply those articles to individuals that they think model the Gift. This is not necessarily a requirement for Confirmation, but many Catholic Grade schools and religious education programs assign a project for candidates of Confirmation.
1. Holy Ghost Catholic Encyclopedia

2. Spiritual Theology, , Jordan, Aumann, Sheed and Ward, ,