Seven gifts of the Holy Spirit

[3] The seven gifts are found in the Book of Isaiah[4] 11:1–2, a passage which refers to the characteristics of a Messianic figure empowered by the "Spirit of the Lord".

[12] Others include the seven deadly sins, the seven virtues, the seven last words from the cross, the seven petitions of the Lord's Prayer, and the Beatitudes.

[13] The seven gifts were often represented as doves in medieval texts and especially figure in depictions of the Tree of Jesse which shows the Genealogy of Jesus.

Hence they are, as true witnesses of Christ, more strictly obliged to spread and defend the faith by word and deed.

Through prayer and the laying of hands, the bishop asks God to send his Holy Spirit to give them the strength to live as disciples of Christ.

Adolphe Tanquerey OP explained the difference between the gift of wisdom and that of understanding: "The latter is a view taken by the mind, while the former is an experience undergone by the heart; one is light, the other love, and so they unite and complete one another.

[22] Counsel functions as a sort of supernatural intuition, to enable a person to judge promptly and rightly, especially in difficult situations.

Joseph J. Rickaby describes it as a willingness to stand up for what is right in the sight of God, even if it means accepting rejection, verbal abuse, or physical harm.

[26] In a series of talks on the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, Pope Francis said that piety is a recognition of "our belonging to God, our deep bond with him, a relationship that gives meaning to our whole life and keeps us resolute, in communion with him, even during the most difficult and troubled moments”.

Francis goes on: "Piety is not mere outward religiosity; it is that genuine religious spirit which makes us turn to the Father as his children and to grow in our love for others, seeing them as our brothers and sisters.

At a June 2014 general audience Pope Francis said that it “is no servile fear, but rather a joyful awareness of God’s grandeur and a grateful realization that only in him do our hearts find true peace”.