Shuffle in Spain

For Spain's Pedro Cardinal Segura y Saenz, in Don Juan's famous line, hell is a city much like Seville. In his terrible-tempered way, Segura has borne down on the gay, fun-loving people of his Seville diocese, suppressed their dances, banned movies, shuttered nightclubs and anathemized what he regarded as "licentious customs." In pastoral letters, Segura, 73, has longed for the days of the "meritorious Inquisition" and has denounced even Spain's limited religious toleration as falsely assuming that "all religions are equally acceptable in the presence of God."

For this stand, Segura has become almost as unpopular with many of his fellow Roman Catholics as with Protestants (a British Protestant weekly last month headlined an article on Protestants in Spain: "Pray for Your Brethren Behind the Incense Curtain."). Last week the news from Spain was that the Vatican has curbed crusty old Segura's powers. Rome evidently acted in full understanding with Spain's Dictator, Francisco Franco, whom Segura has often snubbed and attacked for 1) not supporting a Spanish monarchy and 2) allowing the Falange party to be too "anticlerical." The Holy See early this month appointed an archbishop coadjutor for the archdiocese of Seville with rights and functions equal to Segura's and with the "right of succession.'' He is affable, 50-year-old Jose Maria Bueno y Monreal, former bishop of Vitoria and an ardent supporter of Franco.

Cardinal Segura promptly flew off to Rome in a huff. He was not on hand to welcome his new co-archbishop to Seville, but 2,000 Sevillianos were. They were delighted with the modest prelate when he described himself as "a figure humble and simpatico." He added: "With this first pastoral benediction I give you. I desire to enter into your hearts and souls."

On Segura's return from Rome last week, only his family and friends met him at the airport. Spaniards believe that he may soon withdraw from his Seville post.

Franco's hand was felt by another leading figure in Spanish Catholicism, who stood at the opposite end of the political spectrum from Cardinal Segura. He was Basque-born Father Jesus Iribarren, 42, editor of Ecclesia, official weekly of the Catholic Action group, and long regarded as a strong voice of freedom in Spain. Editor Iribarren roused the Caudillo's ire by publishing an article outspokenly critical of Spain's press censorship (TIME, May 31). Franco's press boss ordered Father Iribarren to quit, and his Minister of Information urged Iribarren's superior, Enrique Cardinal Pla y Deniel, Primate of all Spain, to fire the stiff-necked editor. Pla y Deniel refused but secretly suspended Iribarren. A bishop's conference last month put through the dismissal, ostensibly on the grounds that Editor Iribarren had not submitted his controversial article to his superiors.

At week's end, Ecclesia published a letter of resignation from Father Iribarren. Dated September 23rd, it remained unpublished until U.S. correspondents began filing reports of the Iribarren ouster.

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