Leocadio Lobo: The Spanish Civil War as Viewed by a Priest Exiled in the United States of America

Abstract

The Catholic priest Leocadio Lobo (1887–1959) is an icon of the Spanish Civil War, but his life has never been submitted to rigorous study. His exile in the United States from 1939 to 1959 is essential to an understanding of his life. His Republican ideology, contrary to that of the regime of General Francisco Franco, was the reason for his exile. Lobo believed that it was possible to be Catholic without supporting the Franco regime, but he was unable to offer an adequate response to the religious persecution that occurred in the Republican zone during the Civil War. In the United States, he underwent rehabilitation as a Catholic priest and developed an extraordinary pastoral ministry in New York City, primarily to the Hispanic community.