Génesis de la acción católica española 1868-1926

Abstract

Summarium Temporum diversitatem, quam Actionis Catholicae origini bibliographia assignare solet, hoc studium explanare conatur. Praebet igitur primas In ordine nationali cognltas arganizationes quae testimonii laicorum actiones dirigere temptant. Huicquldem videntur haec esse .Asociación de Católicos» (1868) et «Juventud Católica» (1869-1870). Ultraque volunt distendere activitates tantummodo propagationis, pro diversis ordinibus. Rerum tamen adiuncta turbulenta anno 1868 profert priori necessitatem Ecclesiae defendendae in politicae ambitu. Post Restaurationem haec necessitas permanet. Sed tunc duae optiones surgunt: vel extrinsecus hanc defensionem implere adversus instituta Iiberalia (<<carlismo » et «integrismo») vel intrinsecus, iisdem acceptis pro malo minori (<<union católica»). In utraque re, nova organizatio conatur ut permanens dispositio detur politicae actuositati catholicorum. Haec vero indoles permanens eandem reddit excludentem. Necessitas se expediendi ab hoc exclusivismo animat conventus quos dicunt .Congresos Católicos Nacionales» (1889), ad omnes catholicas actuositates planificandas destinatos. Eorundem mensa constituens primum nuncupabitur -Junta de los Congresos» (1889), deinde «de Intereses Católicos» (fortasse 1894), denique «Junta de Acción Católica» (1903). Sic gignitur haec organizatio postremum iterum constituta anno 1926. Hoc studium prelo innititur confessionali raraque historiographia et bibliographia quae de hac quaestione disseruerunt.

------------------------------------------------------- Abstract The study purports to clarify the diversity of dates which bibliographies usually give for the birth of Accion Católica as an institution. It presents the firts organizations known, on a national level, which attempted to guide the testimonial action of the laity. They apparently are the Asociación de Católicos (1868) and the Juventud Católica (1869/70). Both desired to maintain strictIy propagandistic activities, at different levels. The revolutionary atmosphehe of 1868 poses the first need to defend the Church in political life. After the Restoration the need remains, but with two possibilities: promote this defence from without (Carlims and integrism), against liberal institutions; or from within (Union Católica), considering these institutions as a lesser evil. In both cases the new systems try to offer a permanet organization to catholics political activityItisthe permanent characteristic which makes its exclusivistic. The need to escape said exclusivism in the chief topic of the Congresos Católicos Nacionales (1889-1902), destined to plan all Catholic activities. Its organizing committee (1888) will be subsequently called Junta de los Congresos (1889), Junta de Intereses Católicos (perhaps 1894), and finally, Junta de Acción Católica (1903). Such is the genesis of the organization, definiti vely organized in 1926. The study is based on confessional press notices, and on the scarce historiography and bibliography which has dealt with the problem.