Catholic Dictionary

Find accurate definitions of over 5,000 Catholic terms and phrases (including abbreviations). Based on Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary, © Eternal Life. Used with permission.

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PASSION

Intense motion of a human appetite. Although commonly associated with bodily desires, such as anger or sex, passions can also arise in the spiritual faculties, as happens in envy and pride. Passions are essentially desire out of control because of fallen human nature. They are concupiscence in action. When passion arises spontaneously before the free will has acted, it is called antecedent and, as such, lessens human freedom and responsibility. When it is intentionally fostered by brooding or preoccupation, it is consequent passion because it comes after the free choice of the will. consequent passion is morally culpable. (Etym. Latin passio, suffering, passion, affection.)