Catholics in Alliance Praises Obama's Diaz pick

Here's what the Alliance had to say:

Today President Barack Obama selected Miguel D'az, a professor of theology at St. John's University in Collegeville, MN, to serve as U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See. We congratulate Professor D'az, the first Hispanic selected as Vatican ambassador, on his distinguished and historic appointment.

A theological consultant to, and commentator for, Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good, Professor Dìaz has always connected his impressive body of academic scholarship and intellectual rigor with an unwavering commitment to living out the social justice tenets of our faith. Professor D'az has been an invaluable source of support and theological insight for our organization and the broader Catholic social justice community. Our nation could have no better representative to the Holy See than Professor Dìaz. This is a proud day for the Alliance and all Catholics dedicated to the common good.

President Obama's choice for Vatican ambassador reaffirms the president's pragmatic and constructive relationship with the Church in America, said Steven Schneck, director of the Life Cycle Institute at The Catholic University of America in Washington. Professor Diaz, whose writing has concerned both the theology of Karl Rahner that so influenced the Second Vatican Council and Latinos who will become a majority among Catholics in this country, reflects the heart of the faith in America. All sides will celebrate this selection of the first Latino to represent the United States to the Holy See.