page_title: Ricardo Gómez Roji
section_title: Family and youth
hierarchical_section_title: Ricardo Gómez Roji / Family and youth
caption_attribution_description: This is a photo of a monument indexed in the Spanish heritage register of Bienes de Interés Cultural under the reference RI-51-0005057.
context_page_description: Ricardo Gómez Roji was a Spanish Roman-Catholic priest, scholar, publisher and politician. For 26 years he served as a lecturing canon by the Burgos cathedral, known locally for his oratory skills; he also taught theology at the Pontifical University of Salamanca, animated local Catholic agrarian trade unions, and edited and managed few Catholic periodicals and bulletins. His political career climaxed in 1931-1933; elected to the Congress of Deputies as a candidate of a broad local monarchist-Integrist-conservative alliance, he served one term within the Agrarian parliamentary minority. Afterwards he approached Carlism and advanced its cause as a propagandist.
context_section_description: There is close to nothing known about distant ancestors of Gómez Roji. One uncertain source claims that at least one branch of his grandparents were traditionally related to Pedro Bernardo, a mountainous town on the southern slopes of Sierra de Gredos, in the Ávila province. His father, Pedro Gómez Beades (died 1920), practiced as a surgeon in Pedro Bernardo. One author refers to him as “profesor de cirurgía”, but another one names him rather “practicante”, sort of a rural feldsher. Gómez Beades revealed some penchant for letters and used to write poetry, some of his pieces were published in local press. He married Carolina Josefa Rojí y Sánchez; none of the sources consulted provided any information either on her or on her family. The couple settled in Pedro Bernardo and had 5 children, Ricardo born as the oldest one; his siblings were Dolores, Adriana, Argimiro and Anastasio. None of them became a public figure. Anastasio was killed in 1935; the crime was unrelated to politics.
  It is not clear where the young Ricardo commenced his education. One biographer claims that already in 1894 he opted for ecclesiastic career and entered Seminario Pontificio in Comillas, but another source notes that in 1894 he rather entered the local seminary in Ávila, which he reportedly frequented until ordained presbyter in 1906. However, in 1900 he was already recorded by the Cantabrian press as a student of philosophy at Comillas; he distinguished himself as author or religious poems, which he used to recite himself during religious feasts in Comillas. One more author maintains that having completed his initial curriculum, Gómez entered the Comillas seminary as late as in 1902. He pursued theology and one of his fellow seminarians was Pedro Segura y Sáenz, the future primate of Spain. According to some sources he double-majored and is referred to as “dos veces doctor”, namely in theology and in philosophy; he demonstrated interest in broad cultural spectrum and was among most brilliant students recorded at the institution.
  Gómez's first assignment was the role of coadjutor in the parish of Calzada de Oropesa, not far away from his native town. It lasted rather briefly since in 1907 he was already in Burgos, active at unspecified posts in various locations; he was noted as giving sermons in the parishes of La Merced, San Lorenzo el Real and San Cosme y San Damián, as well as providing religious service in the female orders of Hijas de María Inmaculada and Santa Dorotea. In 1908 he applied for the vacant post of a lecturing canon at the cathedral, the most prestigious Burgos church and one of the most prestigious sanctuaries in Spain. He faced tough competition of 6 counter-candidates and lost. In 1909 Gómez was delegated to the newly founded parish of Santa Agueda, where he acted as coadjutor. In 1910 Gómez took part in new opposiciones for the cathedral canongia and this time he emerged successful; he would hold the post until death for the following 26 years.
caption: Comillas Pontifical University
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