Excerpt: The Cathedral of the Madeleine is the principal church for Catholics in Utah.  As a downtown church the Cathedral sees many visitors along with the regular parishioners.  Those who visit can be Catholics from around the State or those on vacation or at a conference.  Many who visit are from other faith communities including Latter Day Saints.  The Cathedral is a place of welcome.  Some come for the sacred music, others for the beauty of the architecture.  Some walk in looking for a quiet place to be alone.  All are welcome.

Bio: The Reverend Martin Diaz was appointed Rector and Pastor of The Cathedral of the Madeleine beginning August 7, 2013.  Father Diaz served previously at Saint Therese of the Child Jesus parish in Midvale, Utah for seven years.  He arrived to Utah in December, 2004 working as a chaplain at Saint Joseph Villa in Salt Lake City for a year and a half.

Father Diaz’s previous ministry assignments since his ordination to the Catholic priesthood March 17, 1978 included parish ministry and campus ministry.  He has worked in Seattle, Washington; Anchorage, Alaska; Los Angeles and Riverside, California.   In addition to the Master of Divinity degree required for ordination Father Diaz earned a Master of Arts degree in counseling psychology from Boston College.

Born in Phoenix, Arizona in 1951 Father Martin is the third of the five children of John and Carmen Diaz.  He attended first Catholic and then public school.  After two years of college studies at Arizona State University he joined the Dominican community by entering the novitiate in Oakland, California in 1971.

331 East South Temple