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Carmen Marie Nanko-Fernández, director of the Ecumenical Doctor of Ministry Program at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, is a pastoral theologian with extensive experience in ministry, teaching and administration. Her scholarship has involved contextual and post-colonial theologies and has focused on areas of U.S. Hispanic/Latino/a theologies, Catholic social teaching, interreligious and intercultural relations.
NCR Editor Tom Fox spoke with her June 24th about the appointment by President Obama of Miguel Diaz as the next U.S. ambassador to the Vatican.
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Nanko-Fernández talked about the personal and professional strengths that Diaz brings to the appointment. The interview also covered the upcoming meeting between Pope Benedict and Obama set for July 10, the various contexts in which the meeting will take place, and what she is looking for personally to determine the success of the gathering.
"I'm excited that it [the meeting] is happening," said Nanko-Fernández. "It is a necessary meeting." The president will be going "from the G8 to the Holy See and then to Africa," having "a continental implication."
"I would like to see the issue of migration on the table of conversation," she said. "Also connected to that would be issues of the dignity of work, respect for families, and comprehensive immigration reform." [That's] an issue that the Vatican has been very proactive on."
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