Tomás Cámara y Castro
Encyclopedia
Tomás Cámara y Castro, was a Catholic
bishop of Salamanca, Spain
, born at Torrecilla de Cameros, Logroño
on September 19, 1847. His father, D. Leonardo Cámara, was a physician in this town.
Tomás studied humanities
at Burgos
, and at the age of fifteen took the habit of the Augustinians at Valladolid
, where he finished his theology
and was appointed professor in the college. His activity was inexhaustible, and among the many works which he accomplished during his episcopate were the foundation in Salamanca of the Colegio de Calatrava for the promotion of ecclesiastical courses, the erection of a handsome church to San Juan de Sahagún, patron of the city, and of six smaller churches in other cities.
Bishop Cámara was primarily a polemicist and orator. His great learning, extraordinary talents, varied interests, and untiring activity made him one of the most prominent figures of the Spanish episcopate during the 19th century. No great work was undertaken for the Catholic Church in which he did not figure in the foremost rank, in posts of danger and enterprises of the greatest importance, making him beloved by the Catholics and feared by the enemies of the Church. In congresses, assemblies, the Senate, the press, and in every situation where noble and sacred interests were to be safeguarded, he was to be found. His Lenten conferences, preached in 1884 and 1885, were attended by a representative audience of the most distinguished men of letters, politics, sciences, and arts.
Among the numerous works of Bishop Cámara the following are the most important: Contestación á la historia del conflicto entre la religión y la ciencia de Juan Guillermo Draper (3 editions); Vida y escritos del Beato Alonso de Orozco, del Orden de San Agustín, Predicador de Felipe II; Conferencias y demás discursos hasta hoy publicados del Ilmo. P. Cámara, Obispo de Salamanca; Vida de S. Juan de Sahagún, del Orden de S. Agustín, Patrón de Salamanca; and La Venerable Sacramento, Vizcondesa de Jorbalán, Fundadora de las Señoras Adoratrices.
He died at Villaharta on May 17, 1904.
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
bishop of Salamanca, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, born at Torrecilla de Cameros, Logroño
Logroño
Logroño is a city in northern Spain, on the Ebro River. It is the capital of the autonomous community of La Rioja, formerly known as La Rioja Province.The population of Logroño in 2008 was 153,736 and a metropolitan population of nearly 197,000 inhabitants...
on September 19, 1847. His father, D. Leonardo Cámara, was a physician in this town.
Tomás studied humanities
Humanities
The humanities are academic disciplines that study the human condition, using methods that are primarily analytical, critical, or speculative, as distinguished from the mainly empirical approaches of the natural sciences....
at Burgos
Burgos
Burgos is a city of northern Spain, historic capital of Castile. It is situated at the edge of the central plateau, with about 178,966 inhabitants in the city proper and another 20,000 in its suburbs. It is the capital of the province of Burgos, in the autonomous community of Castile and León...
, and at the age of fifteen took the habit of the Augustinians at Valladolid
Valladolid
Valladolid is a historic city and municipality in north-central Spain, situated at the confluence of the Pisuerga and Esgueva rivers, and located within three wine-making regions: Ribera del Duero, Rueda and Cigales...
, where he finished his theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
and was appointed professor in the college. His activity was inexhaustible, and among the many works which he accomplished during his episcopate were the foundation in Salamanca of the Colegio de Calatrava for the promotion of ecclesiastical courses, the erection of a handsome church to San Juan de Sahagún, patron of the city, and of six smaller churches in other cities.
Bishop Cámara was primarily a polemicist and orator. His great learning, extraordinary talents, varied interests, and untiring activity made him one of the most prominent figures of the Spanish episcopate during the 19th century. No great work was undertaken for the Catholic Church in which he did not figure in the foremost rank, in posts of danger and enterprises of the greatest importance, making him beloved by the Catholics and feared by the enemies of the Church. In congresses, assemblies, the Senate, the press, and in every situation where noble and sacred interests were to be safeguarded, he was to be found. His Lenten conferences, preached in 1884 and 1885, were attended by a representative audience of the most distinguished men of letters, politics, sciences, and arts.
Among the numerous works of Bishop Cámara the following are the most important: Contestación á la historia del conflicto entre la religión y la ciencia de Juan Guillermo Draper (3 editions); Vida y escritos del Beato Alonso de Orozco, del Orden de San Agustín, Predicador de Felipe II; Conferencias y demás discursos hasta hoy publicados del Ilmo. P. Cámara, Obispo de Salamanca; Vida de S. Juan de Sahagún, del Orden de S. Agustín, Patrón de Salamanca; and La Venerable Sacramento, Vizcondesa de Jorbalán, Fundadora de las Señoras Adoratrices.
He died at Villaharta on May 17, 1904.