THE CHURCH IN THE CONFLAGRATION: ARCHBISHOP ISIDRO GOMÁ’S CENTRAL ROLE IN THE SPANISH CIVIL WAR, 1936-1939

Abstract

Many scholars have written extensively about the religious undertones of the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). However, little has been written about the leader of the Catholic Church in Spain during this period, the Archbishop Isidro Gomá y Tomás. Fortunately, the recent publication of Gomá’s archives has made it possible to examine more deeply his role in the Civil War. This thesis explores Gomá’s position as an intermediary between the Nationalist government, the Vatican, and the Spanish clergy and bishops, among others. First, I analyze the Archbishop’s intermediary role in the Basque conflict. Then, I untangle his position as the Vatican’s representative to the Franco government and as the organizer of a collective Church response to the Civil War. Lastly, I explore Gomá’s pastoral addresses and the rhetorical support they lent to the conflict. The detailed narratives I provide within these three sections draw from the Gomá Archives and demonstrate that an understanding of the Archbishop’s actions during the Civil War leads to a richer understanding of the religious dimensions of the period overall.