Catechism of the Catholic Church §1764 — excerpt
The passions are natural components of the human psyche; they form the passageway and ensure the connection between the life of the senses and the life of the mind.
This translation is under copyright, so only the cited words are quoted here. Follow the link for the full text. Translation: English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2nd ed. (Libreria Editrice Vaticana), as posted at vatican.va.