Catholic responses to evil and suffering

• God has given people free will. It is their choice whether to follow God's Ten Commandments and Jesus' teachings. Failing to do so may cause suffering. This was recognised by Augustine who said that evil exists when people misuse their free will
• We are made in imago dei. God has a plan for us which we may not understand
• Suffering can encourage people to get closer to God. If we were created perfect and there was no suffering, this could prevent us from developing our soul (St Irenaeus' theodicy)
• Those who suffer here on Earth are united in that suffering with Christ, who died on the cross. Pope John Paul II said that love can result from suffering