"Pope Francis emphasizes the Cry of the Poor as a powerful call to action for addressing poverty and social injustice. This cry highlights the suffering of marginalized communities who often struggle to have their voices heard. It reminds us that many people live in extreme poverty while a small number accumulate vast wealth. This connection has led me to realize that responding to poverty is not just about charity; it is about transforming our social systems to ensure justice and dignity for all. Recognizing the faces of those in need helps us see the importance of solidarity and encourages us to act with compassion.

Through my research, I found several resources that illustrate the urgency of this message. For example, Pope Francis’s encyclical Laudato Si' calls for social responsibility and a commitment to helping those who are vulnerable. Additionally, organizations such as Catholic Charities and Feeding America actively work to support low-income families and advocate for systemic change. Individuals can contribute to these goals by volunteering at local shelters, donating to food banks, and raising awareness about poverty in their communities. By taking these actions, we can make a meaningful impact and help uplift those who are suffering, reinforcing the importance of caring for one another in our community."

     -Mikylah Jackson

"The Pope's goal of Environmental Economics, means understanding that the economy is a part of human culture. Through this we can develop strategies to help guide it towards more sustainable practices, like investing in renewable energies and away from fossil fuels. I find that his idea of looking at the economy as an aspect of humanity's existence as a society is inspiring in that it feels like it doesn't view humans and our creations as something separate from nature. There is some connection, or at least a desire to reconnect humans and our economy to develop them into being one with Nature. I found a few articles talking about Laudato Si, and its impact on Business. It discussed the role of business as being responsible for making the change to better energy, and to make the effort to change quickly. The jobs created through this and the overall potential for long term profits would increase for them. Individuals can contribute to this plan by investing in business that value these ideals of clean, renewable resources and energy."

     -Joshua Crawford

"I believe individuals can contribute to this action goal by not buying items that they do not need when they already have an item that accomplishes what they want. For example, a person does not need the newest phone or computer when their phone or computer works perfectly fine. This give me a new insight into our world because I realize how our demand for new products that are not really better than our old products create a demand to sell products every year unnecessarily.  This supply and demand created our current throwaway culture that values the newest item and will throw away the old perfectly good item. This throwaway culture negatively effects the environment as it creates more and more unneeded waste that harms our environment."

-Sean Maloney 

"I strongly believe the Pope has this as one of his goals because he wants to emphasize the importance of equal, interconnected education amongst all humans when it comes to sustainability. This goal prioritizes reshaping education in a more "integral ecology" or holistic approach, focusing on getting equal access to education directed towards sustainability. This ensures that the education system prioritizes sustainability amongst all people while making sure all people receive equal rights and access to learning it when it comes to education.

By doing this, instead of going about it in a hostile manner, realizing our interconnectedness could help the educational system implement this more. This was insightful for me because it also goes into systemic issues and how many people do not have access to education especially equal to some peers. Minorities specifically face not getting quality, equal education, or access to information about sustainability more often than those who are not minorities which is a significant issue all over the world."

     -Adore Patterson

 "I believe the Pope's goal of Ecological Spirituality is to find God in all things. This means that every piece of creation holds value in Gods eyes. This gives me new insight on how this relates to the Catholic Social Teachings, Dignity of the Human Person, in that life is sacred-- not just humans but all life around us, which is made in the image and likeness of God. Based on examples from other articles, I have found the main idea of Ecological Spirituality "to recover a religious vision of God's creation, encourage greater contact with the natural world in a spirit of wonder, praise, joy and gratitude." Taking part in spiritual education events, retreats, and other events that take place in natural settings can help individuals better understand the Pope's goals."

     -Makenna O'Neill

"I believe the message with this goal from the Pope is that there is no limit to the type and size of involvement you can have. After reading a couple of articles, I understand that individually we can do good but together, we can do more. There is more to light when we unite with others than on our own. I think that individuals can contribute to his action goals but partnering with others to make an impact as well as expanding advocacy efforts on creating more of an equitable system."

     -Yajaira Lopez-Guzman

"The Pope is urgently calling attention to the environmental crisis of our world. The need to protect our planet and take action to maintain our home is significant and not to be dismissed. The Pope refers to the earth as our common home and says that since everyone has played a role in the hurt of our planet's wellbeing, it is therefore everyone's responsibility to care for it. The Earth is in distress and it is humanity's responsibility to answer its cry. Climate change, pollution, deforestation, the decline of biodiversity, ecological sustainability, and more are all important issues that need to be addressed and prioritized to protect our home. 

Ways to do this include living responsibly. How can we as the human race adopt sustainable lifestyles and environmentally friendly policies that promote the wellbeing of the natural world instead of ignoring it. Instead of trying to constantly promote the next best technological advancement, what about the next best eco-friendly product or form of renewable energy? How can we do simple things in our day-to-day lifestyles such as recycling, minimizing food waste, conserving water, etc.? 

I take for granted the responsibility that every person has to maintain the health of the earth. Sometimes I can act passively and think that other people will take care of it. However, I can still play a part in ecological sustainability by doing simple things such as these and by getting involved in programs that promote caring for our planet. I want and need to take this responsibility more seriously." 

     -Allyson Shorey