Spanish term (edited): las desamortizaciones de bienes eclesi�sticos

I've run into this before. Here's a ref. for you:

As the years passed, the liberal campaign against the Catholic faith
in Spain intensified. Beginning in 1835 massive ***disentailment of
ecclesiastical properties and lands*** took place. Once again carried out in the name of efficiency and utilitarianism, this seizure of income-producing property of the Church ultimately forced the Spanish clergy and other religious to economic dependency upon the state.
http://www.ewtn.com/library/HUMANITY/FR90402.TXT

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Note added at 9 mins (2006-01-19 19:54:39 GMT)
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Here's a text about Mexico, but it's the same deal:

Mexico after 1857 confiscated Church property (disentailment or desamortizacion)....
http://latino.si.edu/researchandmuseums/presentations/bhati_...