Greenlandic Catholics are voicing opposition to potential United States acquisition of the territory. Nordic Catholic leaders are monitoring the situation, especially concerning possible U.S. military intervention. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt characterized the acquisition as a "national security priority," suggesting military action is a possibility. President Trump stated the motivation for acquiring Greenland is to prevent Russia or China from doing so. Greenland is predominantly Lutheran, with Catholics being served by the Diocese of Copenhagen.
about 2 months ago
President Donald Trump has repeatedly signaled interest in US annexation of Greenland, framing it as a national security priority to prevent Russia or China from gaining control.1
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated on January 6 that military action remains an option, sparking global controversy.1
Greenland's small Catholic community, centered at Christ the King Church in Nuuk, has voiced strong resistance to becoming part of the US.1
Parishioners told their priest that Greenland is their home and country, rejecting American acquisition.1
On January 9, major Greenlandic political parties issued a joint statement declaring, "We do not want to be Americans, we do not want to be Danes—we want to be Greenlanders."1
Leaders emphasized self-determination, noting the 2009 self-rule law grants control over law enforcement and potential independence from Denmark.1
Sister Anna Mirijam Kaschner, secretary-general of the Nordic Bishops' Conference, said it is too early for definitive statements ahead of a March plenary meeting.1
The conference, covering Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Iceland, prioritizes respect for local sovereignty and the well-being of Greenlanders.1
Greenland, with about 55,000 residents mostly Lutheran, falls under the Diocese of Copenhagen, 2,000 miles away.1
Catholics are sparse, limiting the Church's direct role, though Nordic leaders may soon develop a formal position.1
Catholic doctrine on sovereignty in geopolitical conflicts
Catholic teaching affirms the legitimacy of national and state sovereignty as a participation in God's authority, ordered toward the common good, while insisting it is neither absolute nor autonomous from divine and natural law. Sovereignty entails the right of peoples to self-determination, free from undue external interference, yet it must respect human dignity, justice, and peace in geopolitical contexts. In conflicts, the Church prioritizes dialogue, non-intervention, and the presumption against force, upholding sovereignty as a bulwark against tyranny and imperialism but subordinate to moral norms.
Sovereignty originates from God, who entrusts rulers with authority to regulate social life according to unchanging universal principles, fostering physical, intellectual, moral, and supernatural perfection. As Pope Leo XIII explains in Rerum Novarum, this power is "a participation in [God's], the highest of all sovereignties," exercised with fatherly solicitude for the community and individuals, safeguarding the family and person from absorption by the state. The Church does not endorse any specific form of government—monarchy, republic, or otherwise—provided it upholds religion and morals, emphasizing that civil rule differs fundamentally from Christ's kingdom.
This view counters absolutist notions, such as divine-right monarchism, by rooting legitimacy in popular sovereignty: peoples, equal in capacity for authority, delegate it to leaders under conditions of justice. The Compendium of the Social Doctrine describes sovereignty as the "subjectivity of a nation" in political, economic, social, and cultural dimensions, with culture preserving identity against aggression.
No sovereignty is absolute; it must conform to God's law, as echoed in Scripture: "there is no authority except from God" (Rom 13:1), yet "We must obey God rather than any human authority" (Acts 5:29). When rulers wield power tyrannically or against divine/natural law, Christians may resist, though not through private insurrection, preferring patience, prayer, and public order. Leo XIII warns princes of divine judgment: "a most severe judgment shall be for them that bear rule."
Post-Vatican II teachings reinforce state autonomy as secular, distinct from Church jurisdiction, rejecting theocratic models where the Church acts as the "soul" of the state. Leo XIII's intuition of temporal power as "supreme" in its own kind paved the way for Dignitatis Humanae, affirming political spheres' independence while bound by natural law.
Peoples possess an inherent right to "freely determine their destiny," including political self-determination and emancipation from domination. Pope John Paul II proclaimed this to indigenous Canadians: "freedom which is required for a just and equitable measure of self-determination," condemning oppression and affirming participation in public life per Gaudium et Spes (75). In Chile, he stressed nations' sovereign right to shape their future without external pressures imposing unwanted models, while ensuring internal participation.
Sovereignty is not isolationist; nations may renounce rights for the common good within a "family of nations," prioritizing mutual trust. Yet, it generates duties to respect all citizens' interests, including non-Catholics' role in legitimizing the state.
In conflicts, Catholic doctrine prioritizes sovereignty's protection through peace, decrying foreign occupations, partitions, and ideologies imposing totalitarianism. John Paul II urged withdrawal of foreign troops, free internal accords for the common good, and respect for sovereign duties. He echoed Pius XII: "Nothing is lost with peace; all may be lost with war," advocating negotiations over force, which escalates violence.
Self-defense remains lawful when peaceful means fail, especially against non-state actors like terrorists or in mass destruction eras, but under strict conditions respecting innocents and international law. The Compendium and papal addresses envision alliances based on reciprocity, rejecting colonialism for equitable relations.
The Holy See's temporal sovereignty exemplifies stakes in conflicts: its infringement harms public good universally.
The Church prays for authorities, urges submission where lawful, and intervenes doctrinally—not politically—to defend human dignity, rights, and harmony. She supports progress via social doctrine, condemning arms races and promoting disarmament, economic justice, and self-governance.
Catholic doctrine views sovereignty as God-given for the common good, limited by divine law, essential for self-determination, and pivotal in conflicts where peace and non-intervention prevail. Recent teachings emphasize popular foundations and international solidarity, evolving from Leo XIII's balanced intuitions to Vatican II's clarity, always prioritizing human flourishing over power politics.