Virtue Program

The Core Virtues program is a character education program that promotes civility, respect for the human person, and human excellence in every way. The word virtue, in fact, derives from the Ancient Greek philosophical tradition and means “excellence”. The program is a catalyst for academic success because it encourages the habits of the mind and heart that are necessary for quality scholarship.

With the Core Virtues program, students learn and practice several types of virtues:

• Moral: Character traits that enable us to act well in situations that require an ethical response.
• Intellectual: Character traits necessary for discernment, right action, and the pursuit of knowledge, truth, and understanding.
• Civic: Character traits that are necessary for engaged responsible citizenship, contributing to the common good. 

Monthly focus virtues are assigned each school year and emphasized at daily flag ceremonies and highlighted during classroom instruction. The Core Virtues include: Charity, Compassion, Courage, Courtesy, Diligence, Faithfulness, Forgiveness, Generosity, Gratitude, Heroism, Hope, Humility, Joy, Love of Country, Loyalty, Mercy, Perseverance, Respect, Responsibility, Self-discipline, Wisdom, Wonder, and more.

To learn more about our Core Virtues Program, you can visit their website at www.corevirtues.net/core-virtues-schools.html

These are the qualities of life to which every citizen should aspire. They are the heart of the Via Romana, the Roman Way, and are thought to be those qualities which gave the Roman Republic the moral strength to conquer and civilize the self. Today, they are the rods against which BFHS students can measure their own behavior and character. BFHS students practice these virtues for their lifelong development with the guidance and examples of teachers and administrators.

• Auctoritas: “Spiritual Authority” - Sense of one's social standing, built up through experience, Pietas, and Industria
• Clementia: “Mercy” - Mildness and gentleness
• Comitas: “Humor” - Ease of manner, courtesy, openness, and friendliness 
• Dignitas: "Dignity" - Sense of self-worth, personal pride
• Felicitas: "Happiness, Prosperity" - Celebration of the best aspects of Roman society
• Fides: “Good Faith” - Respect for the pledged word and the expressed intention
• Firmitas: “Tenacity” - Strength of mind, the ability to stick to one's purpose
• Frugalitas: "Frugalness" - Economy and simplicity of style, without being miserly
• Gravitas: "Gravity" - Sense of the importance of the matter at hand, responsibility and earnestness
• Honestas: "Respectability" - Image that one presents as a respectable member of society
• Humanitas: “Humanity” - Refinement, civilization, learning, and being cultured
• Industria: "Industriousness" - Hard work
• Laetitia: "Joy, Gladness" - Celebration of thanksgiving, often of the resolution of crisis
• Pietas: "Dutifulness" - Respect for the natural order socially, politically, and religiously, includes the ideas of patriotism and devotion to others
• Prudentia: "Prudence" - Foresight, wisdom, and personal discretion
• Salubritas: "Wholesomeness" - Health and cleanliness
• Veritas: "Truthfulness" - Honesty in dealing with others