Yes I do not understand it myself, perhaps he was referring to the 19th century, but with the given context he is talking about present day, which in 1939 would be a Catholic state. But then again, it could also likely be Spain before the civil war, which was a secular Democratic state, and secularism presupposes social relativity, in that case the state can “say its Catholic” but in reality it is not. Its like how Russia is predominantly Christian and could be said its a Christian state but its secular in nature.