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The 4 Catholic Temperaments Explained: Your Strengths, Vices & Virtues

August 10, 2026 · 19 min

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Are you sanguine, choleric, melancholic, or phlegmatic?The four temperaments have been used by Catholic spiritual writers for centuries as a way of understanding our natural strengths, weaknesses, and patterns in the spiritual life.

In this episode, we break down all four temperaments, where the framework came from and what each one can reveal about the particular virtues and vices you may need to pay attention to.We’ll cover the sanguine, choleric, melancholic, and phlegmatic temperaments, including their strengths, common spiritual struggles, dominant vices, corresponding virtues and how your temperament can affect prayer, relationships, discipline, leadership and your examination of conscience.

The four temperaments are not Catholic doctrine and they don't determine who you are or how holy you can become. Think of them as a tool for understanding the raw material you're working with and where your particular spiritual battles may be.

Which temperament do you think you are?

#Catholic #Catholicism #FourTemperaments #CatholicFaith #SpiritualLife #Sanguine #Choleric #Melancholic #Phlegmatic

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