Daniel Faria

A 9 de Junho de 1999 deixámos de ter entre nós o poeta Fr. Daniel Faria, osb. Lembramos hoje o aniversário do seu nascimento para a VIDA.

Daniel Faria nasceu a 10 de Abril de 1971 em Baltar, Paredes. Depois de ter frequentado os seminários Menor e Maior da Diocese do Porto, decidiu abraçar a vida monástica na Abadia de Singeverga. Esteve como Postulante no Mosteiro de S. Bento da Vitória - Porto e estava a completar o ano de noviciado em Singeverga quando Deus o arrebatou do meio dos homens. Poeta profundo e contemplativo, deixou-nos uma grande 'herança' - a sua bela obra.

Quero apresentar a minha gratidão profunda, em gesto de homenagem, ao Daniel pelo contributo que deu (através da sua obra, pois já não o conheci pessoalmente) na minha própria decisão de abraçar o ideal monástico.

Esta é uma pequena amostra do seu labor:

Do Livro das Meditações 2

Portanto farei uma escada no coração.

E pelos degraus subirei da minha casa

Até bater com o pensamento no altíssimo.

Apagarei os passos e o cérebro como um rasto no deserto

Sempre atento como a águia quando fixa o sol

Sem pestanejar.

Farei portanto a escada no deserto para fixar

A luz.

Da minha casa subirei sem palavras

Em silêncio, portanto, pisando o coração.

Do Inesgotável

Amo-te como um planeta em rotação difusa

E quero-te parar como o servo colado ao chão.

Frágil cerâmica de poros soprados no teu hálito

Vasilha que ergues em tua mão de oleiro

Cálice que não pudeste afastar de ti.

Da reverência na Oração

«Se quando temos algum pedido a fazer a homens poderosos, não nos atrevemos a fazê-lo senão com humildade e reverência, com quanto maior razão devemos apresentar as nossas súplicas ao Senhor Deus do universo com toda a humildade e pureza de devoção. E saibamos que não é pelas muitas palavras que seremos atendidos, mas sim pela pureza de coração e compunção de lágrimas. Por isso deve a oração ser breve e pura, salvo se um toque da inspiração da divina graça nos levar a prolongá-la...»

Regra de S. Bento - Cap. XX, 1-4

Theology professor nominated to be U.S. ambassador to the Holy See
05/27/2009

Note to media (5/28/09): Miguel Díaz is unable to conduct interviews at this time. Below is a statement about his nomination:
"I am very honored, grateful and humbled that President Obama has nominated me to serve as ambassador to the Holy See. If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, I will continue the work of my predecessors and build upon 25 years of formal diplomatic relations with the Holy See. I wish to be a bridge between our nation and the Holy See."
White House release Google News media summary
Miguel Díaz, Ph.D., who serves on the graduate faculty of the School of Theology∙Seminary of Saint John’s University and undergraduate faculty of the Department of Theology at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University, has been nominated as the United States Ambassador to the Holy See (Vatican).
President Barack Obama made the announcement on May 27, 2009.
Díaz has served on the SOT, SJU and CSB faculty since 2004. He is chairperson of the SOT’s Multicultural Committee; served as co-chairperson of the CSB/SJU Intercultural Directions Council; and, along with his wife, Marian Díaz, D. Min., established the Changing Faces: Intercultural Ministry and Hospitality series.
“Professor Miguel Díaz is a skilled Trinitarian theologian who is passionate both as a teacher and a scholar,” said Abbot John Klassen, OSB, of Saint John’s Abbey. “He is a strong proponent of the necessity of the Church to become deeply and broadly multi-cultural, to recognize and appreciate the role that culture plays in a living faith. Born in Havana, Cuba, he is a leading Hispanic theologian in United States.”
He earned his bachelor’s degree from St. Thomas University in Miami Gardens, Fla., and his master‘s and doctorate in theology from the University of Notre Dame in Notre Dame, Ind. He taught previously at Barry University, Miami Shores, Fla.; St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary, Boynton Beach, Fla.; University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio; and the University of Notre Dame. He also served as the academic dean at St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary and is fluent in Italian, Spanish and French.
“The College of Saint Benedict is enormously proud that Miguel has been nominated by President Obama for this important post,” said MaryAnn Baenninger, president of the College of Saint Benedict. “Miguel is a highly-respected theologian and scholar, and an excellent teacher. Most importantly, he has a deep commitment to Catholic social justice and to inclusiveness in the Catholic Church. He truly lives a life of faith. He is the ideal candidate for this post.”
Díaz’s theological areas of interests include the Trinity, theological anthropology and Latino/a theologies. He is the author of On Being Human: U.S. Hispanic and Rahnerian Perspectives (Orbis Books, 2002), for which he received the Hispanic Theological Initiative’s 2002 Book of the Year award from Princeton Seminary. In addition, he has had articles published in a number of theological journals and in manuscripts, and is co-editor of the book, From the Heart of Our People: Latino/a Explorations in Systematic Theology (Orbis Books, 1999).
“Miguel is a valuable member of the faculty of the School of Theology∙Seminary,” said William Cahoy, dean of the Saint John’s School of Theology∙Seminary. “His students and colleagues appreciate his passion and commitment to the Church as well as his knowledge of theology. He is a frequent and enthusiastic contributor to programming outside the classroom for students and in continuing education for those working in the Church.”
“Dr. Díaz is a distinguished scholar and teacher,” said Dan Whalen, interim president of Saint John’s University. “He has a national and international reputation as a prominent Catholic theologian, and is a valuable member of our Benedictine communities. Our graduate and undergraduate students have benefited from his extraordinary teaching during the last five years.”
Díaz is active in numerous professional associations. He serves on the board of the Catholic Theological Society of America, is past president of the Academy of Catholic Hispanic Theologians of the United States, and is a past member of the steering committee of the Karl Rahner Society. He is a theological consultant to the Catholic Association of Teachers of Homiletics and was appointed to the task force overseeing the review and revisions of the accrediting standards for the Association of Theological Schools.
Díaz frequently offers theological talks to local, regional and national audiences and is a member of Voices for the Common Good, a media speaker’s bureau consisting of prominent Catholic experts on Catholic social teachings. In recent years, he has been invited to participate in various ecumenical conversations. He has engaged in conversation with prominent Catholic Church leaders such as Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity in Rome, and organized a theological conversation among Black Catholic and Latino/a Catholic theologians around the theme of human identity.
He and Marian, who is the director of Companions on a Journey and CORAD: Heart Speaks to Heart at CSB and SJU, have four children.

Fonte: St. John' s Abbey