Envoy sketches vision for U.S.-Vatican relations

October 5, 2009
by Francis X. Rocca
Religion News Service

The new American ambassador to the Holy See met the press on Monday (Oct. 5), for the first time since his nomination was announced in May.

Miguel H. Diaz received a group of 10 American and Italian reporters at the official ambassador's residence on Rome's Janiculum Hill, three days after presenting his credentials to Pope Benedict XVI.

Stressing the priorities that he said the Obama administration has in common with the Vatican, Diaz sketched out an agenda of collaboration against terrorism, religiously inspired violence, HIV/AIDS and human trafficking, and in favor of interracial, intercultural and interreligious dialogue.

"The points where we have coordination today between this president and the Holy See are more than just one," he said, speaking in Italian as he did for much of the meeting. "We have the possibility of collaboration on so many points." the rest