Section — Wouters, Manual of Moral Theology
§ I. On Pride
I. Notion. Pride is the inordinate appetite of one's own excellence (St. Thomas, II-II, q. 162, aa. 1 and 2; St. Alphonsus, V, 65), by which someone either judges that he has a good from himself; or, although he believes that he has received a good from God, ascribes it to his own merits; or boasts that he has a good which he lacks; or desires to seem singularly to have that which he has (St. Thomas, cited place, a. 4).
II. Division. Pride is distinguished as twofold, perfect and imperfect. Perfect pride is that by which someone disdains to be subject to divine authority. Imperfect pride is that by which someone, while preserving due subjection, esteems himself more than is just or inordinately desires to excel others (St. Alphonsus, V, 65).
III. Morality. 1. Perfect pride is a mortal sin from its whole genus, and indeed a most grave sin.
a) It is a mortal sin from its whole genus. For the root of pride is considered in this, that "man in some way is not subject to God and His rule. But it is manifest that this very thing, not to be subject to God, has the nature of mortal sin; for this is to turn away from God; hence it follows that pride according to its genus is mortal sin" (St. Thomas, II-II, q. 162, a. 5).
b) It is a most grave sin. For aversion from God, which formally completes sin, belongs per se to pride, while it is as it were consequent in other sins. Therefore pride is a most grave sin. The major is proved by St. Thomas thus: "In other sins man is turned away from God either on account of ignorance, or on account of infirmity, or on account of desire for any other good whatever; but pride has aversion from God from this very fact, that it does not will to be subject to God and His rule" (II-II, q. 162, a. 6).
- Imperfect pride is per se venially evil, because it involves excess in an indifferent matter, such as, for example, esteem of oneself, the praise of men, etc. It becomes mortally evil if grave contempt of others is added, or a manner of acting injurious to God; the latter would have place if someone behaved as if he had his goods either from himself or as owed to his own merits (St. Alphonsus, V, 65).
IV. The daughters of pride are:
Presumption, "which is the inordinate appetite of undertaking something beyond one's powers. It is commonly only venial. It becomes mortal, however, if it brings harm to God or one's neighbor; for example, if you presume ecclesiastical jurisdiction, the power of sacred Order, likewise the office of physician, advocate, confessor, etc., without due skill" (St. Alphonsus, V, 66).
Ambition, "which is the inordinate appetite for dignity and honor not owed, or greater than is owed; as if you seek a benefice or office of which you are unworthy; or by an illicit manner and means, for example, by simony. It is per se a venial sin. But it becomes mortal either by reason of the means through which honor is sought, or by reason of the harm which is brought upon one's neighbor. Finally, if honor is sought moderately for an honorable end, it will be an act of magnanimity" (St. Alphonsus, cited place).
Vain glory, which is the inordinate appetite of praise and fame to be obtained by the manifestation of one's own excellence. "It is called vain when it is sought from a bad, false, or fictitious thing; or from something which is not worthy of glory, or not of so much glory, as from riches, trifles, etc.; or among those who do not judge rightly about the thing; or without a due end. It is per se a venial sin; often mortal by accident, as was said concerning ambition" (St. Alphonsus, cited place).
By vain glory one sins in two ways:
a) "Directly; and this either by words, and it is boasting, which is venial per se, if it is about good things, for example, fasting, prayer, etc., although by accident, often by reason of harm, if it is false, it becomes mortal; as also: 1. If one says something against the glory of God, as in Ezekiel 28: 'I am God.' 2. If he breaks forth into insults; for example, 'I am not as the rest of men, an adulterer, etc., or even as this man.' 3. From an evil end. 4. If it is done with notable harm to one's neighbor. 5. If it is about a mortally evil matter... Or by deeds, which, if they are true and have something of admiration, is called the invention of novelties, for the common people are accustomed to admire these, such as foreign garments, opinions, etc.; mortal, if it notably corrupts youth or morals. But if the deeds are false, it is hypocrisy; for example, if someone does some good thing so that he may seem good, although he is not" (St. Alphonsus, V, 66; St. Thomas, II-II, q. 132, a. 5).
b) "Indirectly, insofar as someone does not wish to be less than another. This happens in four ways: 1. Through the intellect; and it is pertinacity, by which someone adheres too tenaciously to his own opinion, which is mortal if truth of great moment is opposed, or if it is joined with danger to a third party, for example, if a physician remains in his opinion with danger to the sick person. 2. Through the will; and it is discord, by which one sins mortally when it concerns the good of God or of one's neighbor, in which they ought to be concordant. 3. Through words; and it is contention, which is mortal when, with a mind to contradict, you wrangle about truth pertaining to the faith or to the salvation of soul or body. 4. Through deeds, when someone does not wish to carry out what he ought; and it is disobedience" (St. Alphonsus, cited place; St. Thomas, cited place).
V. Remedies of pride are: 1. Consider that you are nothing and sinful.1 2. Weigh the hatred by which God rejects and punishes the proud, while He affects the humble with benefits.2 3. Meditate on the example of Christ.3 4. Exercise humility, especially by tolerating humiliations.4
1 1 Cor. 4:7.
2 Ecclus. 10:7; 35:21; Matt. 23:12; Luke 1:48 sq.; Rom. 1:21, 26; 1 Pet. 5:5, 6.
3 Phil. 2:7.
4 Sweens, Theologia moralis fundamentalis, n. 956.