How were the actions of the spanish in direct contrast to the teachings of the
catholic church?

The Catholic Church in Spain has a long history, starting in the 1st century. It is the largest religion in Spain, with 68% of Spaniards identifying as Catholic.[1]

Attempts were made from the late 1st century to the late 3rd century to establish the church in the Iberian peninsula. Canons of the Synod of Elvira (circa 305 AD) indicate that the church was greatly isolated from the general population even at that time. The situation of the Christians in Iberia improved with the advent of the Edict of Milan in 313 AD, after which Christians were more or less free to practice their religion openly within the Roman Empire. Over the course of the 4th century, the church built significant footholds particularly around Seville, Cordoba and Toledo.

Visigoths