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The Catholic Church in Spain retained its conservative outlook into the 20th century. The church had control over great wealth and huge rural areas. By the early 1900s, however, it was increasingly out of touch with the needs and aspirations of the urban working-class that was becoming increasingly pliticized. During the Republican era it allied itself with upper-class and conservative elements. The Republic attempted to institute a secular state and seized some church property. The workers and other elements supporting the Republic were increasingly estrainged from the Church. During the Civil War (1936-39) terrible acts of barbarity were unleased. The Church supported Franco. Increasingly left-wing Republican elements carried out attacks on the Church and priests. Terible attrocities were reported by the Church of monestaries and convents being pillaged. Franco's forces backed by the Church brutally repressed workers in areas under their control. Republican forces recounted gross attrocuties on the part of Franco's forces. Civilian populations were bombed by Italian and German airforce units supporting Franco. The bombing of Guernica in the Basque country was imortalized by Picasso. After the fall of the Republic, Franco cairred out awide ranging suppression of workers groups. Manywere simply were shot. Church property was reinstated.
The Catholic Church in Spain retained its conservative outlook into the 20th century. The church had control over great wealth and huge rural areas. By the early 1900s, however, it was increasingly out of touch with the needs and aspirations of the urban working-class that was becoming increasingly pliticized. During the Republican era it allied itself with upper-class and conservative elements. The Republic attempted to institute a secular state and seized some church property. The workers and other elements supporting the Republic were increasingly estrainged from the Church. During the Civil War (1936-39) terrible acts of barbarity were unleased. The Church supported Franco. Increasingly left-wing Republican elements carried out attacks on the Church and priests. Terible attrocities occurred, including monestaries and convents being pillaged. Franco's forces backed by the Church brutally repressed workers in areas under their control. Republican forces recounted gross attrocuties on the part of Franco's forces. Civilian populations were bombed by Italian and German airforce units supporting Franco. The bombing of Guernica in the Basque country was imortalized by Picasso. After the fall of the Republic, Franco cairred out awide ranging suppression of workers groups. Many supporters of the Republic were sumarily shot. Church property was reinstated.
The Conservative orientation of the Spanish Church and support for factory owners and land owners alientated many Spanish workers. This helped Socialist parties often with anti-clerical orientations make inroads among workers. Workers became a primary support of the Republic in the Cicil War. After the Civil war, Socialist and Comminisr leaders were shot as well as many soldiers in the Republican forces. Independent unions (Sindicates) were supressed and replaced by state controlled unions. Union organizing or advocating worker rights was dangerous. I am unsure to what extent the Church was able to repair its relationship among workers. Criticizing the Church was no possible, but that does not mean worker attitudes changed. After Franco's death, the Socialist emerged as on of the principal politucal parties. There is strong worker support for the Party.
We are less aware of current attitudes toward the Church and thus First Communion in Spain. I suspect, however, that it is a tradition that is more widely celebrated in upper-class and affluent families than in working-class families. It is pobably much more common for boys going to Catholic schools than boys going to state schools. The expense of a first Communion puts many off but the celebration is not confined to simply the monied classes. It is celebrated by anyone who feels the need to do it. Many families from humble bacgrounds will pool their monies to hire the hall/restaurant for the dinner, hire a clown to entertain, and a variety of other expenses. The church's political/social influence is much less now in this country than before. One can check a box on the yearly income tax return for a certain sum to go to the Catholic church. The proceeds from that ticked box have fallen every recent year even as the country has been enjoying great growth. Birth control and abortion are easily available. As I wrote, Spain has the lowest birth rate in Europe. The very consertvative Opus Die group does have some small influence where they can. They support one private/British school here. One requirement for the students is that they all have their first communion. And they all do.
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