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A new face of Catholicism
Obama's pick for Vatican ambassador embodies U.S. Catholic currents
Jun. 08, 2009
Theologian Miguel Díaz (CNS/Courtesy of St. John’s School of Theology-Seminary)
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PDF versionNational churches don’t have delegates in Rome, so officially nobody’s there to speak for American Catholicism. Informally, however, high-profile Americans in and around the Vatican present faces of the Catholic community in the States, both to Rome and to the wider Catholic world.
In that light, President Barack Obama’s May 27 appointment of Cuban-American theologian Miguel Díaz as ambassador to the Holy See is especially intriguing, because Díaz embodies two currents in American Catholicism heretofore not terribly visible in the Eternal City: its burgeoning Hispanic wing, and its center-left theological guild.
In part because Díaz is not well known outside theological circles, and in part because he doesn’t have a clear record on the hot-button issue of abortion, reaction to the appointment has been fairly muted. As time goes on, however, two baseline readings seem plausible:
- Díaz could be seen as a deft nod to the diversity of the American church, as well as a potential bridge between Catholicism’s traditional centers in Europe and North America and its emerging voices in the global South.
- Or Díaz could be seen as the product of “divide-and-conquer” politics, meaning an attempt by Obama to mute Catholic criticism of his pro-choice stance by throwing a bone to Hispanics and peace-and-justice liberals.
Whichever reading one adopts -- and, to be sure, both are already circulating in different Catholic circles -- the appointment should open an interesting new chapter in U.S./Vatican relations, as well as in Roman impressions of American Catholicism.
Díaz, 45, has no previous diplomatic experience. Born in Cuba, he and his family left when he was 8. Díaz earned a doctorate in theology from the University of Notre Dame in 2000, and has served as a professor at the College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minn., since 2004. Assuming Díaz is confirmed by the Senate, he could be on the job by early July, when Obama is expected to meet Pope Benedict XVI while in Italy for a G-8 summit.
Díaz has described himself as uncomfortable with liberal/conservative labels, saying he regards himself as a “Trinitarian theologian.” Scanning his writings, his main political interest seems to be social justice matters, above all immigration. Some have described Díaz as a liberation theologian, but he distinguishes between the “option for the poor” in Latin America and an “option for culture” in Hispanic theology in the United States, focused on Latino identity. Colleagues say that Díaz has also built bridges between Hispanic theology and feminist and African-American perspectives.
Vatican reaction seems largely positive. Archbishop Pietro Sambi, the pope’s ambassador to the United States, called Díaz “an excellent choice … who knows both the United States and the Catholic church very well.”
Cardinal Francis George, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, was a bit more circumspect, telling NCR that the conference has a policy of not commenting on appointments. Nonetheless, George said he’s sent a private letter to Díaz congratulating him and inviting him into conversation.
Díaz would become the ninth American ambassador to the Holy See, and the first Hispanic to hold the job. In that sense, he’s emblematic of the changing demography of the American church.
Based on projections from the Pew Forum, by 2030 more than 40 percent of the roughly 70 million Catholics in America will be Hispanic, and for the first time white Catholics will no longer represent a majority. A recent Pew study also concluded that were it not for Hispanic immigration and high Hispanic birth rates, the Catholic church in America would be contracting.
That trend, however, is not yet reflected in the American church’s leadership ranks. There is presently no Hispanic cardinal in the United States, and no senior Hispanic cleric from the States serves in the Vatican. As a result, Díaz will be the most visible Hispanic Catholic from the United States on the Roman stage.
Intellectually, Díaz also represents another constituency that sometimes feels invisible, or misunderstood, in Rome: the moderate to liberal camp, which by most accounts represents a majority among professional American Catholic theologians.
One way of handicapping where someone stands in Catholic theology after the Second Vatican Council (1962-65) is how they react to the late German Jesuit Karl Rahner. In broad strokes, Rahner’s “transcendental theology,” featuring an optimistic view of nature and an emphasis on God’s presence outside the institutional church, has been a touchstone for progressives and a source of consternation for more conservative thinkers.
Díaz is clearly a Rahner fan. His most recent book is titled On Being Human: U.S. Hispanic and Rahnerian Perspectives, and employs Rahner’s framework to understand currents in Hispanic theology. Among other things, Díaz argues that Rahner’s thought is open to “the historical praxis of oppressed communities.”
Given the way Díaz’s theology blends European and Hispanic perspectives, admirers argue that Obama’s choice reflects a keen grasp of the Catholic future, potentially offering Rome a resource to understand the contours of an increasingly diverse church.
Critics, however, apply a more political gloss. Although Obama captured 54 percent of the Catholic vote overall, he lost white Catholics and Catholics who attend Mass at least once a week. Those deficits were offset by 72 percent support from Hispanic Catholics, and an overwhelming margin among self-identified Catholic liberals.
On this reading, the future Obama has in view isn’t so much that of the Catholic church in the 21st century, but rather American politics between now and 2012. The suspicion is that Obama and his advisors hope to divide the church along ethnic, linguistic and ideological lines, thus making it less likely to offer compact opposition to the administration’s abortion policies. While Díaz’s job is diplomatic rather than political, some previous American ambassadors to the Holy See have played an important behind-the-scenes role in advising their administrations on outreach to Catholic voters.
Díaz has declined media requests for interviews, and so far a date has not been set for his Senate hearing.
John L. Allen Jr. is NCR senior correspondent. His e-mail address is jallen@ncronline.org.
As always, or almost always,
As always, or almost always, a clear and unbiased article reporting a development that is of interest to Catholics, especially those in or near the US. John Allen's writing is the reason I keep checking the NCR web site each week. Otherwise, I find much of NCR is becoming increasinly irrelevant and ... uneven.
I agree........John Allen is
I agree........John Allen is the reason I check NCR. He seems to be the only "true" reporter these days.
Regarding President Barack
Regarding President Barack Obama’s appointment of Cuban-American theologian Miguel Diaz as ambassador to the Vatican, Diaz is building theological-cultural bridges, a step for the twenty-first century community. Next step might be to step outside Catholicism and look inside the institution, rather than look from inside Catholicism to the world outside. Doing this provides a perspective an ambassador should value. The institution itself is a part of the much larger global crisis. New problems must be solved with new solutions. The answers are in the world at large but it takes global knowledge to recognize them. It’s the perspective that counts.
While it may be nice to learn
While it may be nice to learn that Karl Rahner is the new LIBERAL LITMUS TEST, if this article is a sample of the facile labeling, caricaturing, pigeon-holing and dare one say "racial profiling" to which Dr. Diaz will be subjected, is it any wonder that he "has declined media requests for interviews?"
This was a rather cynical
This was a rather cynical column. Mr. Allen starts off with the premise that Mr. Diaz's nomination as U.S. ambassador to the Vatican is either a) a sign of the changing makeup of the American Catholic Church; or b) a "divide-and-conquer" scheme by Obama to make his pro-choice stance more palatable to American Catholics. However, without any proof other than Diaz's sharing in some theological aspects with Rahner & that Diaz is a member of a cultural group (Latino), Allen concludes that it must be the latter. Sorry Mr. Allen, but this is lazy analysis.
It is odd that: "Cardinal
It is odd that:
"Cardinal Francis George, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, was a bit more circumspect, telling NCR that the conference has a policy of not commenting on appointments."
Cardinal George ought to remember that his flock have no policy of not commenting on the "MEDIOCRITY" and "LACK OF INITIATIVE" of their aging "SHEPHERDS", who are "sleeping at the wheel" most of the time!
The Conference of US BISHOPS ought to examine why most of these "aging" Bishops have refused to use all that technology has to offer to promote the Gospel.
Why do so few of these "aging" Bishops post their homilies ONLINE?
Perhaps, the Conference ought to ask the Archdiocese of Milwaukee fo help as how to post Audio Homilies ONLINE. http://www.archmil.org/bishops/Audio_Bishops.asp
Cardinal George and Reverend Gerald F. Kicanas, Bishop of Tucson ought to follow up on their Report last year.
http://12thsynod.wordpress.com/2008/10/16/from-the-synod-october-15-2008/
Use of Technology
*Church need to look at a greater, broader use of technology in communicating the Word
*The Pope should do a blog
*The Church should make better use of Internet to allow the Bible to be read even in countries where the Scriptures are forbidden
*We are experiencing profound changes in communication,a revolution. There is a new culture of communication that the Church must not hesitate to enter.
*We need to develop more dialogic forms of communivcation in keeping with the age.
*Radio plays an important role in commuinacting the Scrpitures, especially in poorer countries with greater illiteracy.
It is NOT enough to go to the Vatican and put out detailed REPORTS, if there is going to be no FOLLOW-UP.
Both Cardinal George and Reverend Gerald F. Kicanas, Bishop of Tucson ought to know that putting out "FANCY" detailed Reports is the EASY PART.
It is the IMPLEMENTATION of the items reported that is difficult, if NOT IMPOSSIBLE for most of our "AGING" Bishops.
If the Bishops cannot implement what they PREACH, why will our "mediocre" pastors be motivated to improve their performance?
"LACK OF LEADERSHIP", "LACK OF INTITIATIVE" and "MEDIOCRITY" is ruining the Catholic Church in America.
It is time for these "AGING" and "MEDIOCRE" and "SHY" BISHOPS to retire and hand over their posts to younger and more "energetic" Bishops with initiative and leadership skills, before driving the Amercian Catholic Church further into the ditch.
Mr. Allen...while admittedly
Mr. Allen...while admittedly the best correspondent on American Catholicism writing today...is not quite accurate when he states that the growth of North American Hispanics is "not yet reflected" in the American Church's leadership ranks. He seems to have forgotten leaders like Cardinal Humberto Sousa Medeiros, Archbishop of Boston from 1970 to 1983, Archbishop Robert F. Sanchez, Archbishop of Santa Fe from 1974 to 1993, and numerous more contemporaneous American Hispanic bishops.
"A new face of Catholicism"
"A new face of Catholicism" That's hogwash!!! Obama selecting "A new face of Catholicism" is about like letting the Chinese dictator select the chinese bishops. Tain't happening, McGee!!!!!!!!!
Bravo! I say,
Bravo! I say, Bravisimo!
Wonderful article John Allen, and wonderful good news about Diaz!
If that isn't a picture of an honest face, I don't know what is! [Diaz']
I don't find fault with social justice matters, nor do I find fault with "an optimistic view of nature and an emphasis on God's presence [both inside and] outside the institutional church."
The whole planet is obviously God's creation and the people are completely interwoven (except for the ivory tower folks).
I too am happily on the Rahner fan "bandwagon", and being blessed with being trained in Hispanic ministry, I will read Diaz' book mentioned above ASAP!
Que buenas noticias! Hey, maybe someday we'll have bilingual articles, from NCR online. I can dig it. (Or does NCR already have them?)
PS Our parish is way, way more than 40% Hispanic. So hey, let's get with the program!
I very much take offense at
I very much take offense at any posters suggesting that DIAZ is LIBERAL and makes no bones of it and being watched by the Church and BISHOPS who is not with DIAZ or ON BOARD IMMEDIATELY FOR DIAZ AS BEING "RACISTS", he signed a catholic[sic]letter w/26signatures promoting rad pro abort HHS SEBELIUS.To not LOOK on this is negligent ..........To be DISMISSIVE of this is scandal...no matter where else the person stands on ALL OTHER HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES this ONE IS PRIMARY AND NEEDS A SUPPORTIVE CANIDATE not a 'I dont want to talk about it' canidate..thats baloney, RACE IS NO MATTER......WHITE PINK YELLOW GREEN PURPLE NO MATTER!So PEOPLE get off that TIRED OLD BANDWAGON ALREADY.ABORTION is MURDER and the TAKING OF INNOCENT LIFE and is PRIMARY!
Obama is a DIVIDER not a UNITER,in the short time in office he has shown this to be true.......He is in my belief and many others that he is ANTI CATHOLIC and will do anything to FORCE his beliefs on the VATICAN as well anyone and everyone......His 20 years in LIB THEOLOGY with REV WRIGHT taught him PLENTY!
POPE JOHN PAUL 2 wrote in depth about LIB THEOLOGY and called it "MARXIST BASED" and NOT GOOD for MANKIND.
I pray that the VATICAN will not be USED by OBAMA as another place to do more damage then he has to the CHURCH AND ITS PEOPLES!
NO RACISM INVOLED FOLKS ....PLAIN AND SIMPLE "FOLLOW THE GUIDELINES"......."PRO LIFE ANTI ABORT ALL THE WAY"
To be used by OBAMA is no PARANOIA......HE IS A USER that is FACT!!!!!!!!!!He is an APT CHICAGO POLITICAN BEFORE "ANYTHING"ELSE"
"Informally, however,
"Informally, however, high-profile Americans in and around the Vatican present faces of the Catholic community in the States, both to Rome and to the wider Catholic world."
First of all, in what I am about to say, I am not including ALL HIGH PROFILE Americans in my posting for the very obvious reason, I don't know who you are speaking of. Therefore, I will direct this in regard to those I do know of, such as Biden, Pelosi, Kennedys, Sebelius, Kerry ad nausium.
There is no "Community of Catholics" this side of the pond who value the truths of the Catholic Church. There are SOME "individuals", laity, clergy who are scattered among the shaft here in the U.S. who do hold fast to the leadership of the Pope, but these are few compared to those who insist on having Catholicism, "their way".
And I believe we can count Professor Miguel Diaz among the "their way" group. Otherwise why would the POTUS assign him to the diplomatic post of Ambassador to the Vatican if it is not to continue to perplex those of us who try to hold fast to the doctrines of the Church.
Please read my postings below. You will never see this on CNN or MSNBC.
http://washingtontimes.com/news/2009/may/29/vatican-pick-a-mystery-from-...
Mr. Diaz is on the theological left, having been one of 26 Catholic signatories to an open letter supporting the nomination of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, who is pro-choice.
The choice was quickly lauded by two liberal Catholic groups.
Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good, for which Mr. Diaz serves as theological consultant and Catholics United.
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/may/09052811.html
Obama Appoints Sebelius Supporter Miguel Diaz as United States Ambassador to Holy See
Professor Diaz supported the nomination of extreme pro-abortion Kansas Governor Kathleen Sibelius as Health Secretary
WASHINGTON, D.C., May 28, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Miguel Diaz, a self-proclaimed “faithful Catholic” and a professor of theology at St. John’s School of Theology, was appointed as ambassador of the United States to the Holy See by President Obama yesterday.
Pro-life groups have expressed their significant concerns about the appointment. Diaz most recently made headlines after he threw his support, as a fellow “Catholic,” behind the nomination of Kathleen Sebelius as the new Health Secretary. Sebelius is considered by pro-life advocates to be one of the most notorious pro-abortion Catholic politician in the United States.
Diaz was among the 26 “faithful Catholic” leaders who signed onto a letter of support for Sebelius earlier this year. “As faithful Catholics we proudly offer our support to Governor Kathleen Sebelius, who has been nominated to head the Department of Health and Human Services,” says the letter.
“Governor Sebelius is a woman of deep faith,” the letter continues.
Sebelius’ archbishop, Archbishop Joseph Naumann, however, said last year that Sebelius is giving Catholics a “spiritually lethal message.”
The letter that Diaz signed on to claims that Sebelius “agrees with church teaching that abortion is wrong and has lived and acted according to that belief.” The letter claims that the disagreement between Sebelius and the Church “has never been over the morality of abortion, but over what prudential policy is best in dealing with abortion.”
http://www.startribune.com/politics/46279027.html?elr=KArksD:aDyaEP:kD:a...
The nomination will likely cause heartburn for pro-life advocates because Diaz served as a member of Obama’s Catholic advisory board during his presidential campaign.
That someone like Diaz can claim to follow the pro-life teachings of the Catholic Church and assist an abortion advocate in becoming president won't go unnoticed as the Senate confirmation process takes place.
Obama isn't alone in earning Diaz's support, as he also endorsed pro-abortion Kansas governor Kathleen Sebelius and her nomination to become Obama's health secretary.
Diaz was one of several Catholic college professors to support her bid, which prompted Cardinal Newman Society president Patrick Reilly to say they were "giving comfort and aid to those whose stated goals are to advance policies directly opposed to Catholic teachings on life issues."
“Given Gov. Sebelius’s abortion record and the concerns of her own bishop, it is sad that some of her strongest supporters are speaking out from their platforms on Catholic campuses,” he said.
Meanwhile, Diaz is a member of the speakers bureau for the FAKE PRO LIFE Catholic organization Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good, a pro-Obama front group that was repeatedly criticized during the presidential election for deceiving voters on Obama's pro-abortion position.
The group eventually came under fire from Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver, who said it had "done a disservice to the Church, confused the natural priorities of Catholic social teaching, undermined the progress pro-lifers have made, and provided an excuse for some Catholics to abandon the abortion issue instead of fighting within their parties and at the ballot box to protect the unborn.”
And this is what is given as the FACE OF CATHOLICISM IN THE U.S.
Pardon me while I puke.
I am an Irish-American
I am an Irish-American Catholic, age 72, married to the same wife for 48 years, attend Mass weekly, voted for every Democrat presidential candidate from Kennedy-Carter and not one Democrat since.
Regarding Obama's choice of Miguel Diaz. In my opinion his choice is a calculation based on his main (perhaps only) focus which is his unending campaigning. The same applies to the idea that he has a "keen grasp" on our Church's future. How smart he is, is uncertain!
He has every right to pick anyone he wants, and that person should reflect his views. I do believe it is the "divide and conquer" view you menton.
Our Church should accept who is chosen looking at the person, not is race but his faithfulness if he is Catholic.
Does it really matter that Pew says what the church of 2030 looks like in 2009? Perhaps we shoul hope that the American Ambassador to the Vatican represents our country respectful of being American first and reserve his religous agenda for his post ambassador career.
Mr. Allen I read this column because or you brillant book Opus Dei but I find you recent use of catch phrases and tone that I interpret as reflecting the bias that exists in some circles. It is my hope that travelling in some of these circles hasn't jaded you, don"t forget the regular people.
Rahner is a Pro-Testant. His
Rahner is a Pro-Testant. His theology is no more Catholic than a Methodist, a Lutheran, or a Baptist. If Diaz looks up to Rahner, then he is an extremely poor choice for ambassador. He wont be able to adequatly represent us Catholics and the Vatican to the President. This just stinks of an inside attempt at trying to change what God Himself established. I think I'll step down and just pray that God take care of this mess. After all, he's a big boy, I think He can handle it. Christ have mercy on those of you on the wrong side of this issue trying to change His Body the Church to suit your own sexual, gender (feministic), relativistic ideas.
Curious. People at the
Curious. People at the Vatican are expecting a diplomat. People in the US are fretting about their silly obsessions with 'diversity' and so forth -which interest nobody but their little parochial selves.
To Richard N. and Craig
To Richard N. and Craig B.:
Regarding the "unbiased" reporting praised by Richard N.. The piece may be written with supposed objectivity, but how does that actually inform us? Ostensibly it's about the new U.S. Ambassador nominee to the Vatican, but is it really? I read the article as a probe of the Obama administration with a view to predicting how they're trying to solidify chances in the 2012 election (So like the Bush administration where every single move, policy, appointment, proposal, mode of communication, etc, etc. was calculated to cement and increase power for the foreseeable/unforeseeable future). I'm left with a question as to how this translates as a genuine objective or unbiased article?
For that reason particularly, I pretty much agree with Craig B.when he states that view the report as a "sample of facile, caricature, pigeon-holing and ... racial profiling". According to this article the theologian and potential ambassador, Miguel Diaz, becomes boxed in and wrapped up rather one-sidedly so anything he may or may not do "out-of-the-box" could further label him as maverick. Perhaps that's not so bad; maybe that's a reason for his reticence in granting interviews until the nomination becomes appointment. Personally I'd rather wait to find out who the real Miguel Diaz is and to what does he witness in actions rather then rely on advance speculations. That he comes from professorial positions @ both Collegeville and St. John's in Minnesota indicates a rather common-ground approach rather than an extremity --- to begin with. The rest remains to be seen. I'll wait and I'll hold judgment as to whether this appointment will have even the least bearing on a re-nomination and re-election of a second Obama administration.
I thank God every day for
I thank God every day for Pope Benedict and the firm stance the Catholic Church has taken on Abortion, family values, a celibate preisthood, and Truth.
Mr. Diaz and Mr. Allen are not Catholic and need to stop representing themselves as Catholic.
The Catholic Church is my rock! May she never change and may all so-called progressives be intellectually honest about their views. May they find another church.
Jesus Christ is Truth. Truth is Freedom. Jesus Christ is Freedom.
I should say that
I should say that ncronline.org has lots of interesting information. Looks like the author did a good job. I will be coming back to ncronline.org for new information. Thank you.
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