Morals of the Church
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point — Wouters, Manual of Moral Theology

Point VI. On Gratitude

404.

I. Notion of Gratitude. Gratitude or thanks can be defined: a moral virtue inclining man to acts by which thanks are shown to one's benefactor as such. It is said:

  1. To acts by which thanks are shown. By these words is indicated the material object of gratitude.

  2. To one's benefactor as such. By this the formal object is assigned; for by this reason gratitude is distinguished both from piety, by which we honor parents, and from observance, by which we honor persons excelling in dignity (St. Thomas, II-II, q. 106, a. 1, ad 2).

Gratitude

405.

II. Object of Gratitude. 1. The material object is all actions by which this debt is rendered, and these can be reduced to three: 1. to acknowledge the received benefit; 2. to praise the benefactor and give him thanks; 3. to repay according to place and time, according to one's ability (cf. St. Thomas, II-II, q. 107, a. 2, and q. 106, aa. 4-6 inclusive).1

  1. The remote formal object is the special reason of debt, not indeed strict, but honorable, toward the benefactor as such, arising from the benefit received (St. Thomas, II-II, q. 106, a. 1, ad 2). For by this reason gratitude is distinguished both from piety, by which we honor parents, and from observance, by which we honor persons excelling in dignity (St. Thomas, II-II, q. 106, a. 1), and it is clear that it is a virtue specifically distinct from them. The proximate formal object is the special moral goodness shining forth in rendering this debt.

1 Cf. Salmanticenses, Arb. praed., n. 81; Pesch, nn. 282-284 inclusive.

Gratitude

406.

III. Opposed Vices. To gratitude is opposed ingratitude; but this is had only when the placed act, or the omission of some act, is prohibited by the motive of gratitude.

Gratitude