Ex-ambassador to Holy See accused of harassment

A FORMER United States ambassador to the Holy See reportedly made unwanted sexual advances to a married couple while teaching theology at the University of Dayton, according to a letter from the university’s provost, Joseph Saliba, obtained by the news website Inside Higher Ed.

Miguel Diaz, a Catholic theologian and married father of four, served as US ambassador to the Holy See from 2009 to 2012. Dr Diaz and his wife, Marian, who is also a theologian, returned to teach at Dayton after he resigned his ambassadorship in 2012. The allegations were made last June. “Our investigation [conducted by outside counsel] concluded that there is reasonable cause to believe, based on the preponderance of evidence, that federal law and university policy were violated,” the letter stated. “[S]pecifically, the evidence establishes that Dr Diaz created a hostile environment by engaging in unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature, particularly after being told to stop.” The letter was addressed to the couple making the charges, who were colleagues at Dayton. Their names were redacted from the letter published by Inside Higher Ed.

Earlier this year, it was announced that the couple would be taking positions at Loyola University in Chicago this year. A spokesman for Loyola declined to comment on the allegations but confirmed that Dr Diaz had signed a contract for a faculty appointment that is set to begin on 1 July. Asked if the letter was authentic, Dr Diaz’s lawyer, Gabe Fuentes, told The Tablet: “Mr Diaz has no comment.” Teri Rizvi, executive director of strategic communications at Dayton, would not discuss the letters involving Dr Diaz, but added: “We do not tolerate sexual discrim