St. Canutus, King of Denmark

Feast date: Jan 19

Saint Canutus, King of Denmark,  succeeded his elder brother Harold on the throne of Denmark in the year 1080. He began his reign by a successful war against the enemies of the state, and by planting the faith in the conquered provinces. Amid the glory of his victories he humbly prostrated himself at the foot of the crucifix, laying there his diadem, and offering himself and his kingdom to the King of kings. After having provided for the peace and safety of his country, he married Eltha, daughter of Robert, Earl of Flanders, who proved herself a spouse worthy of him.

The justice of Saint Canutus as sovereign was well known. He applied himself to the reform of all internal abuses. For this purpose he enacted severe but necessary laws for the strict administration of justice, the repression of violence and tyranny by the powerful, without respect to persons. He favored and honored holy men, and granted many privileges and immunities to the clergy. His charity and tenderness towards his subjects made him study all possible ways to make them a happy people.

During a rebellion in his kingdom, the king was surprised at church by the rebels. He confessed his sins and received Holy Communion. Stretching out his arms before the altar, he was struck down on his knees by the enemies of his Christian reign.

Archbishop Visvaldas Kulbokas said:

Food shortages are being caused by this energy crisis, apart from the difficulties faced by civilians due to the cold. This seems to have some resemblance to the Holodomor that Ukraine went through in the 1930s.

We have our own generator at the Nunciature, which means we can have more light, water, and heating than the others. If the situation remains unchanged, it is possible that the entire Ukrainian capital would need to be evacuated, as the mayor of Kyiv said a few days ago.

The nuncio also spoke about the Latin-rite hierarchy’s decision to dedicate the year to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Seeking Christ’s “merciful reception, forgiveness of sins, and protection from all evil, we prayed that God’s goodness would overcome sin and war and grant us peace,” said the nuncio. “We know that war is caused by the devil’s actions, and the devil is afraid every time we worship God.”

In a lecture delivered on January 17, the Secretary of State of His Holiness emphasized that peace and justice should “once again become the pillars of order among nations, and not merely remain simple aspirations or empty claims.”

Pope Leo XIV received Prince Albert II of Monaco on January 17.

As is customary, the Vatican did not divulge the topics discussed in the private audience. Georgieva, who regularly tweets about her meetings with international leaders, did not discuss her audience with the Pontiff on her X account.

In a letter marking the 325th anniversary of the founding of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, Pope Leo XIV offered his vision of Vatican diplomacy, one in which priests of “deep spirituality” listen and build bridges.

A North Carolina bishop returned a priest accused of sexual abuse to active ministry effective January 13, over six years after the priest was placed on administrative leave by the previous bishop.

“In 2026, the United States has entered into the most profound and searing debate about the moral foundation for America’s actions in the world since the end of the Cold War,” said the prelates. “The events in Venezuela, Ukraine and Greenland have raised basic questions about the use of military force and the meaning of peace.”

They continued:

The sovereign rights of nations to self-determination appear all too fragile in a world of ever greater conflagrations. The balancing of national interest with the common good is being framed within starkly polarized terms. Our country’s moral role in confronting evil around the world, sustaining the right to life and human dignity, and supporting religious liberty are all under examination. And the building of just and sustainable peace, so crucial to humanity’s well-being now and in the future, is being reduced to partisan categories that encourage polarization and destructive policies.

Citing the Pope’s recent address to the diplomatic corps, the prelates said that “the contribution of Pope Leo in outlining a truly moral foundation” has “provided us an enduring ethical compass for establishing the pathway for American foreign policy in the coming years.”

They added:

As pastors and citizens, we embrace this vision for the establishment of a genuinely moral foreign policy for our nation. We seek to build a truly just and lasting peace, that peace which Jesus proclaimed in the Gospel.

We renounce war as an instrument for narrow national interests and proclaim that military action must be seen only as a last resort in extreme situations, not a normal instrument of national policy. We seek a foreign policy that respects and advances the right to human life, religious liberty, and the enhancement of human dignity throughout the world, especially through economic assistance.

“Human life is still gravely threatened by legalized abortion as it continues to be aggressively promoted at the state and federal level,” said Bishop Daniel Thomas of Toledo, Ohio. “Many challenges remain, including pro-abortion ballot initiatives, the increased use and availability of abortion pills, and the need to protect the Hyde Amendment to keep taxpayer funded abortion out of national health care bills.”

“We must continue to support pregnant and parenting mothers in need and offer spiritual and emotional help to all who have participated in abortion,” Bishop Thomas added. “Our united prayers, sacrifices, and efforts to protect human life and heal the wounds inflicted by abortion remain as important as ever.”

“Inas empties yet another basin of mud, sweeping the space in front of her tent,” Lucia D’Anna wrote in her article. “Two years and much more, the third winter spent in fear and uncertainty. A translator, aunt of three children, she tries to survive in the hell of Gaza, because there is no other term to describe what is happening.”

“The young woman talks about when their house was bombed; everyone was inside,” D’Anna added. “They survived miraculously, escaping barefoot, unable to collect anything from inside, saving themselves, the adults and the children. The whole family has been displaced at least ten times, without a place to stay.”