1. How the encyclicals help the people in creating a just society/ world?

Answer:
To determine this, we must first understand that Encyclicals is circulated to different
churches with the sole purpose of addressing issues of concern, to point out dangers that might
affect the church or the world and to exhort for action or constancy and prescribe remedies.
Now, Encyclicals become a help to the people, especially to the Christians, as a reminder
to make an action that will benefit the many. Encyclicals are mostly delivered in times of crisis,
where people are in the brink of desolation, and so it means that these letters are made to
become a matchstick to light up again the fire in the hearts of people, and that they may start
doing good things and act again in a moral manner.

2. Name three themes or teachings of the church that are common in most of the encyclicals.
Explain each.
Answer:
a. Life and Dignity of the Human Person
According to the Catholic Church, human life is valuable, and the dignity of the human
person is the foundation of a moral vision for society. This premise underpins all of our
social teaching principles. We believe that every person is valued, that people are more
essential than objects, and that the test of any organization is whether it threatens or
improves the human individual's life and dignity.
b. Call to Family, Community, and Participation
The human being is not just holy, but also social in nature. Human dignity and the ability of
individuals to thrive in community are directly affected by how we arrange our society in
terms of economics and politics, law and policy. It is important to promote and enhance
marriage and the family as key social institutions, not to destroy them. We think that
everyone has a right and a responsibility to participate in society and to work together for
the common good and well-being of all, particularly the poor and vulnerable.
c. Preferential Option for the Poor
How our most vulnerable members fare is a basic moral litmus test. In a society marked by
widening disparities between affluent and poor, our tradition directs us to prioritize the
needs of the poor and vulnerable.

3. Discuss Martin Luther King Jr.’s contributions in the promotion of Justice in the world.
Answer:
In 1957, he was a founding member of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, a civil
rights group. In the 1960s, he was the head of the whole civil rights movement, which advocated
for resolving issues with compassion and love rather than hate and violence.

4. How did St. John Paul II contribute in the creation of a better world for everyone?
Answer:
John Paul II was the first internationally focused pope, and he boosted the papacy's
global stature. His insistence on religious and national liberty was unique. In addition, he
concentrated authority over Catholic educational institutions and upheld traditional church
attitudes on gender and sexual issues.
Another thing about Pope John Paul II's legacy is that it includes substantial
contributions to the Roman Catholic Church's body of teaching, as well as his peace initiatives
and numerous publications on topics ranging from poverty and Communism to contraception
and reproductive concerns.