The United States ambassador to the Holy See is returning to the
University of Dayton to teach as professor of faith and culture, the
university announced Wednesday.
Miguel H. Diaz, ambassador since 2009 and the first Hispanic to
represent the U.S. at the Vatican, will assume the endowed
professorship Nov. 16, according to UD.
"As ambassador, I know first hand the role of American culture
and leadership in international relations as well as the growing
importance of religion on the world stage," Diaz said in a phone
interview from Rome. "I look forward to building bridges between
faith and culture, and to facilitating inclusive, scholarly and
constructive conversations that advance the common good."
University President Daniel J. Curran said he is delighted Diaz
has accepted the important and highly visible position. Diaz's wife,
Marian, also a theologian, has joined the university as a lecturer
and is teaching courses in scripture, according to UD. They have
four children.
Diaz taught at UD from 1996 to 1998 as an assistant professor of
religious studies, according to UD.
"Miguel Diaz finds common ground in discourses that too often
divide. He has been an influential Catholic leader in areas as far
ranging as human trafficking to inter-religious dialogue," Curran
said in a news release.
Fluent in Italian, Spanish and French, Diaz also reads Greek,
Latin and German. He was born in Havana, Cuba, and moved as a child
to the United States. He was the first in his family to go to
college and earned a bachelor's degree in history from Saint Thomas
University in Miami and a master's and doctor of philosophy in
theology from the University of Notre Dame, according to UD.
