Miguel H. Díaz

Miguel H. Díaz
United States Ambassador to the Holy See
In office August 5, 2009 – November 5, 2012
President	Barack Obama
Pope	Benedict XVI
Preceded by	Mary Ann Glendon
Succeeded by	Ken Hackett
Personal details
Profession	Diplomat
Religion	Roman Catholic

Miguel Humberto Díaz is an American theologian, diplomat and commentator who served as United States Ambassador to the Holy See. He was nominated by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on August 5, 2009 ^[1] He resigned on November 5, 2012 ^[2] and was immediately named University Professor of Faith and Culture ^[3] at the University of Dayton. He was the first Hispanic U.S. Ambassador accredited to the Holy See.

As ambassador, Díaz helped launch the Religion in Foreign Policy Working Group of the Secretary of State’s Strategic Dialogue with Civil Society. The Working Group facilitates regular dialogue between the U.S. foreign policy establishment and religious leaders, scholars, and practitioners worldwide on strategies to build more effective partnerships on issues such as conflict prevention, humanitarian assistance and national security.^[2]

On May 5, 2014, several newspapers reported, including the Dayton Daily News, that Díaz had been investigated for sexual harassment at the University of Dayton in July 2013. Díaz was accused of sexually harassing a married couple who also are professors at the University of Dayton. According to the published story, Díaz was "found to have likely engaged in 'unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature' toward the married couple." The allegation was outlined in confidential letters to the alleged victims from University Provost Joseph Saliba and the University's general counsel.^[4] confirmed that there was reasonable cause to believe, based on a preponderance of evidence, that federal law was violated.^[5]

On May 20, 2014, Loyola University Chicago announced that they intended to hire Díaz as a professor despite the University of Dayton harassment allegation. A spokesman for Loyola said in an email, “We have reviewed the allegations raised against Miguel Diaz and our offer to him stands.” He will become a professor at Loyola on July 1, 2014.^[6]

Early life and education

Díaz was born in Havana, Cuba, and he and his family departed for Spain when he was nine. Two years later, he immigrated to Florida. He comes from a modest background; his father worked as a waiter and his mother worked as a data entry clerk.^[7][8] Díaz holds a B.A. from St. Thomas University and an M.A. and a Ph.D. in Theology from the University of Notre Dame.^[9]

Career

Prior to his service as ambassador, he was 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 has 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).

Conservative news outlet Newsmax claimed that Díaz was rejected by the Vatican several times for being "insufficiently pro-life".^[10] However, liberal news outletTime magazine said that the story was false.^[11]

Theology

Building on the work of Karl Rahner, Díaz has placed extensive emphasis on the role of the Trinity in history.^[12] Along with theologians such as Catherine LaCugna, Díaz argues that the life of God cannot be considered apart from history, but must be conceived as "for us, and for our salvation." In this vein, he has also asserted that in the contemporary American context, God can be seen vividly "in the face of migrants," who face the dangers of economic insecurity, violence, and social marginalization in search of a better life.^[13]

Speeches

Díaz gave his first speech on U.S. soil as ambassador on Friday, February 5, 2010 at St. John Vianney College Seminary in Miami, Fl.^[14] He spoke at the seminary's 11th Annual Fides et Ratio Conference on the relations between the U.S. Government and the Holy See.^[15] Ambassador Díaz attended St. John Vianney College Seminary and obtained a certificate in Pre-Theology.^[16]

He received several honorary doctorates while serving as ambassador.

Since joining the University of Dayton, he has been sought for analysis and comment^[17] by the national news media, especially upon the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI in February 2013.

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Department of State website http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/index.htm (Background Notes).

External links

• University of Dayton
• University of Dayton faculty page for Miguel Diaz
• 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

United States Ambassadors to the Holy See
William A. Wilson 1984–1986 Frank Shakespeare 1986–1989 Thomas Patrick Melady 1989–1993 Raymond Flynn 1993–1997 Lindy Boggs 1997–2001 Jim Nicholson 2001–2005 Francis Rooney 2005–2008 Mary Ann Glendon 2008–2009 Miguel H. Díaz 2009–2012 Ken Hackett 2013–