The birth of the Second Spanish Republic in April 1931 ushered in a period of possible secularization to Spain. Liberals welcomed legal changes, while conservatives feared the special "privileges" they enjoyed would end. The Catholic Church remained a central focus of left-wing antagonism and right-wing allegiances, and conflicts surrounding the future of religion grew severe. While members of the Spanish Catholic hierarchy had clearly supported the right and disdained the left, the actions and opinions of the Vatican and its hierarchy stationed in Spain were much more nuanced. Similarly,...