What are the gifts of the Holy Spirit?

QUESTION:What are the gifts of the Holy Spirit?

ANSWER: The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are enumerated in 11:2-3. These include:

1. Wisdom - the first and highest gift of the Holy Spirit. This involves the desire to contemplate the things of God.
   
2. Understanding - the gift to grasp the truths and essence of our Faith.
   
3. Counsel - the gift to judge how best to act in any given situation
   
4. Fortitude - the strength to follow through on actions suggested by the gift of Counsel
   
5. Knowledge - the ability to judge all things according to the truths of the Catholic Faith
   
6. Piety - willingness to serve and worship God
   
7. Fear of the Lord - the gift of desiring not to offend God