Miguel H. Díaz

Miguel H. Díaz
United States Ambassador to Holy See
Incumbent
Assumed office August 5, 2009
President	Barack Obama
Preceded by	Mary Ann Glendon
Personal details
Profession	Diplomat
Religion	Roman Catholic

Miguel Humberto Díaz is the current United States Ambassador to the Holy See. He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on August 5, 2009.^[1] He was formerly a Professor of Theology at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University in Minnesota. He was nominated by President Barack Obama and is the first Hispanic U.S. Ambassador accredited to the Holy See.

Early life and education

Díaz was born in Havana, Cuba, and he and his family departed for Spain when he was 9. Two years later, he emigrated to Florida. He comes from a modest background, his father having worked as a waiter and his mother, a data-entry operator, having never attended high school.^[2][3] Díaz holds a B.A. from St. Thomas University and an M.A. and a PhD in Theology from the University of Notre Dame.^[4]

Career

In addition to being a Professor of Theology at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University in Minnesota, Díaz is the co-editor of the book From the Heart of Our People: Explorations in Catholic Systematic Theology and author of On Being Human: U.S. Hispanic and Rahnerian Perspectives, named "Best Book of the Year" by the Hispanic Theological Initiative at Princeton Theological Seminary. Díaz taught Religious Studies and Theology at Barry University, the University of Dayton and the University of Notre Dame. From 2001 to 2003, he taught and served as Academic Dean at St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach, Florida. He is a Board Member of the Catholic Theological Society of America (CTSA) and Past President of the Academy of Catholic Hispanic Theologians of the United States (ACHTUS).

His nomination caused some controversy for him not being enough pro-life but was accepted by the Vatican^[5]

Speeches

Díaz gave his first speech on U.S. soil on Friday, February 5, 2010 at St. John Vianney College Seminary in Miami, Fl.^[6] He spoke at the seminary's 11th Annual Fides et Ratio Conference on the relations between the U.S. Government and the Holy See.^[7] Ambassador Díaz attended St. John Vianney College Seminary and obtained a certificate in Pre-Theology.^[8]

He has received several honorary doctorates since he became ambassador.^{[citation needed]}

References

1. ^ "Obama's Nominee Confirmed as Vatican Ambassador". The Washington Post. http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/godingovernment/2009/08/obamas_nominee_confirmed_as_vatican_ambassador.html/. Retrieved 2009-08-13. 
2. ^ Obama’s pick for Vatican ambassador described as devout scholar, leading theologian Boston Herald, May 29, 2009, AP
3. ^ Eric Gorski Hispanic theologian chosen for Vatican ambassador AP, May 27, 2009^{[dead link]}
4. ^ "President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts". The White House. http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/President-Obama-Announces-More-Key-Administration-Posts-5-27-2009/. Retrieved 2009-06-05. 
5. ^ http://www.allgov.com/ViewNews/Ambassador_to_the_Vatican__Who_is_Miguel_Diaz_90708
6. ^ Thomas Pringle"Fides et Ratio". Catholica Omnia. http://www.thomaspringle.com/2010/02/fides-et-ratio/. Retrieved 2010-03-11. 
7. ^ Thomas Pringle"Fides et Ratio". Catholica Omnia. http://www.thomaspringle.com/2010/02/fides-et-ratio/. Retrieved 2010-03-11. 
8. ^ "Alumnus-Turned-Ambassador Returns To St. John Vianney". The Florida Catholic. http://thefloridacatholic.org/iv/alumnus-turned-ambassador_returns_to_st_john_vianney. Retrieved 2010-03-12. 

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Department of State (Background Notes).

External links

• College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University faculty page for Miguel Diaz
• Karl Rahner Society with Biography and Bibliography
• The Academy of Catholic Hispanic Theologians of the United States (ACHTUS) with press release

Diplomatic posts
Preceded by Mary Ann Glendon	U. S. Ambassador to the Holy See 2009-Present	Succeeded by Incumbent

Persondata
Name	Diaz, Miguel H.
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