It is the doctoral thesis of Jaime Ortega edited by Homo Legens, Madrid, 2025.
It is essential to know those muddy years of the Spanish Church to which the Priestly Brotherhood wanted to oppose. Among its most determined episcopal adversaries, Tarancón, Díaz Merchán, Yanes, José Sánchez… In my opinion, the worst of our episcopate, who did not hesitate to use crooked means in their opposition to some exemplary priests infinitely better than those who charmed those bishops.
Of those painful prelates, only José Sánchez remains alive, already 91 years old, very active in the opposition. Buxarrais also lives, with 96 years, and Oliver, also 96 years old. The emeritus of Málaga was of such null entity that his opposition, given his more than sure ideas, had no weight at all. Oliver’s opposition, if he had any, was more to assist Tarancón than by his own determination, which perhaps he didn’t even have, or if he did, it didn’t matter to anyone.
I can only congratulate the author for his thesis and Homo Legens for publishing it, in the certainty that it will be an important text for the history of the Spanish Church in the second half of the 20th century.
And it is inevitable for me not to mention so many dearly beloved friends: Fr. Oltra, who carried the pack in the hood of his Franciscan habit, from which I smoked so many cigarettes; Fr. Santacruz, Fr. Venancio Marcos, who took me to speak at the Priestly Days in Cuenca. I never spoke to so many priests and they never applauded me so much. I was 32 years old. Don Luis Madrid Corcuera, author of another excellent book on the Brotherhood and the mistreatment received from its bishops. Don Ángel Garralda, whom the last time I saw him was at his tribute, in his Avilés I think for his 90 years, and from which he sent me a precious photograph that I keep among my best memories. With a caption from him that says: «this is a hug that comes from on high» I still hadn’t lost height and he had.
The unforgettable Fr. Alba and all his extraordinary work. Needless to say, as soon as I learned of his death, I rushed to his burial in Sentmenat. Fr. Dallo. Well, I am very glad about this resurrection of the Brotherhood in a book. It deserves it.