1 by foir-minded historians. “ Edoés not imply anything against its truth; nay, the fact of -having’not ie THE CONVE D HIS OWN HA ND PROFESSION OF CATHOLIC FAIT: () The testimony of the press lity of the testimony of the press, in matters of opinion. |) # d as far as soundness of judgment : regarding / public *-7 ed, may certainly be open to question., Nevertheless,” d out the truth of the mere occurrence. of some. public erest, it is reasonable to give credit-to the:voice sof. lly when the accounts found in diferent 'papers “of: the: broad are substantially unanimous and mutually’.corro-: ave resented and could have deprecated it, ought to be admittéd’ ne irene le The mere omission of such news in one‘ or another. of the papers’ allenged gives more weight to the testimony of the’ great majotity.1; Cf Gonzalo Ma, Plena, Murié Bl Dector Rial Cristionamentet (Barcelons>, Bdltorial:, Sereelonesa, SA), p19. From the news published by Bl Imporcial Ubld.,p.,26) : where 1) Tlesald thet the Jesults “irled to seducs Riza) to recelve the sucraments”, we: infer, that this paper, where the news of Rizal's conversion was published, 88 mang others of Madrid and Honckong, was not only free from religious censorship but also free to, attaciie: Misiods persone one -thines. And even in the Philippine papers not the. lessti indi-f Cation is found of mutual interdependence or of common source, among tne. Tinie Sress' tems concerning Rizal's conversion, Furthermore, it, could not, be. conestent, Ate.) governmental policies ‘under those elreumstances to give publicity on #/ Pisce ct! Reta a that might only enhance the figure of an executed ‘rebel! end arouse, apathy 1057) the convict Church, her infallibility and divine teaching authority, ‘the thority «of ' the fag miracles, the death ponalty (a subject of so burning ox interest Gq) WOPK moments), the death of Ananias and Saphire, the Holy Scriptures, in those gate, Saint Jerome's version, that of the LXX, Purgatory, the’ vawi the Vul. gale, Stestant Churches, the arguments of Balmes sgsinst them, the wou8 of » Gf Saints, and ospecially ‘the extension of Redemption, and many other Speorship | lections | ne 7 iof apologetics, a thousand times refuted with irresistible arguments. Wii attacked him ‘with the logic and evidence of Catholic truth, If told him energy that if he did not yicld his mind and his reason for the sake of he would soon appear for judgment before God and would surel Upon hearing this throat, toare gushed from bis cycs, end ie ¢ will not damn myself.” "'Yes,"—I_replied,—“you will go to hell, for, whether you like it orf EXTRA HOCLESIAM CATHOLICAM NULLA DATUR SALUS. “Vee, ce the Catholic Church there is no salvation. Truth is and canaot be but one. such, truth is uncompromising in all orders, and much more so in the reli ordet, which is the most transcendental.” q Affected by this reproach he said:—Look here, Father; if to please Reverences I would say yes to everything and would sign everything you pri to-me without meaning it, I would be o hypocrite and would offend Cod.” “Ocrtainly,”—I told him—"and we don't want that. But believe me th is & grief without equal to sce o beloved person obstinate in error, and tof that person about to be damned and to be unable to prevent it. You take #4 in being a sincere man; so, believe us that if by giving our blood and our Ie We could achieve the salvation of your soul, right now, we would give our k and offer ourselves to be shot in lieu of you.” “But Fathor,"—he replied with regret—“what would you have me do, it eecrus that I cannot dominate my rcason?” “Offer,” —I answered,—"‘olfer to God.-the sacrifice of your aelf-love. Even} be against the voice of-your seoson,Sck God-the gruce vf faith which is a that God bestows abundantly ond’ is-obtained_iniallibly_byhumble and pa vering prayer. Only on your part, you should not reject it.” eka , “Well thea ~Rather,”—be said—"T promiso you that I will spend the time still-rémains of m} life, asking God for the grace of faith.” q { “Take a rest,then,”"—I told him,—"and ponder over what we have talked abt “Haye *recaurseto the Lord, trusting in the infallible efficacy of prayer. Ma heart is in the hands,of God.” i To understandAsétter the events of that day, I think it conveniont to reef thom in order: \WFather Vilaclara (now dead) and’I, arrived at Fort Saotid i at about ton o'clock’ in—the-moraing After grecting Dr. Rizal, I began jie | discussion with~him, as it has boen mentioned.’ At. twelve o'clock I wen the Palace to report on the matter to the Prelate,_as_ho-hadcfdered i { Ivhad-to“say to him that until then the convict remained obstinate in his crt i and ideas, opposed to the Catholic faith. Hearing this, the Prelate in} ii | ardent seal for the conversion of Dr. Rizal, scut. iminediately o circular to the religious Communitics of Manila, requesting for ‘prayers for the conver: of the convict. In all the Communities prayers were offered, fervently, in some of them many penances were dono for this purpose. Even the J3! Sacrament was~cxposed. in somo Communitics. At. three o'clock, or little past Uhre, I returned to the Toyal Fé wh-re Fathor Vilaclara had remained, and I reassumed the discussion wif Dr. Rizal, thot Tasted until dusk, arriving at the ‘point which I have alread indicated. “Fhen I-went to the Ateaco, und thence I went with Father Vj to the Palace. There I reported on the condition of the convict, who offe : some hope for conversion, since he had asked for the formula of reteactia 1 E Hence, I requested the Brelate for the formula he had promised, and he tf t mo thot it was not yot-Jinishud..Soon- he would send ‘it-to ie. * i It was already night when I arrived at the Fort, I found Dr. [if ; I impatient. Uo usked for the formula of the Di This came at last, 4 i about ten o'clock; upon knowing it, Lhe convict asked me for it insistently. Wil q out fetting mo read it first, he called and asked me to read it to him. Both of ts cat at a desk, where there w bearing the first paragraph, he told me 8 stationery and I began to readit. Up “Father, do not proceed. That stiderswer differeat’from mine, I cannot sign that, because it should be Om siting it mysolf.”” « ant hs ; fot eae out then the shorter and more concise formule . ‘le is ai rd Maes That style i8 SIME, @ ‘Dictate what T ought to profes s¢ some remarks.” ad the first paragraph and Don't bother, Father, to read it a T shall write, making in any c A cceded : suggested the idea, he proceeded adding ; And thus it was done. As mafng at times some observalii gto | with steady hand and clear letters, wit Sphrave. Certainly, after the discussion, Dr. Rizal 0S Yoq as be impulse of grace, since he had retired into himeelf and praye 3 Mumised. Tous he appeared to be while writing bis retracto® ‘At the beginning, the formula stated: “I declare myself & Catholic gad be religion I wish to live and dic.” Dr. Rizal told me: ‘Please, adds eguca religiom ariting, after the word religion): in which I wes born o” alt he wished to make his Catholic education kaown. I continued reading. He continued assenting end brief indication of his own, and an explanation on my art. brigf Tdmitted everything expressed in tho formule. Whea T°. 45 subscribe: paragréph whore Musonry was detested, he showed some resistance t0 Food by.» Swe sentence of the formula: “I_abominate Masonry as a society--TePrON eons Vihe Church.” He gave me this roason—Hoe-seidthat ie bad known Moston Guewere very bad; but those with whom be had been acquainted, ihet he 3 who Wuusinessinen nd scemed to be good persons. It seemed. : were Oo that the kind. of Masonry in the Philippines did nD eT the abjuration of the Catholic faith, although T am not quito sure © Be ow it coms that Dr. Iizal was admitted, at all events, ipa some of Anyhow, i son nly. invwhieh the memhers. sro not obliged to abjure (oa ° faith explicilly. Alter some observations, he himself proposes. eign vas he did, this formula: “I aborainate Masonry as tl \éhurch'and reprobated by the same Church.” And in this way cavaued reading, and he continued assenting, with some little observations: So, for instance, it was said at the end: “The Diocesan Prelate may’’.:: and ba’ wanted to add: as the superior ecclesiastical authority, make public, tha my manifestation.” At tho words "my manifestation” he asked mo to allow: this my Mu tigpontaneous 2nd voluntary,”” and be told me thon with great as-/) Riveration: Because, believe me, Father, I am doing this heartily; otherwise, 1 would not do it’ ; “Well then,” I told him, “you may put spontaneous and-it-i fished tho weting, and thus remalond. Te wae: hall Pastoral dated December the twenty-ninth. The text, literally~cop pani p\t, was gaya thus: q . iterally-copied_from the original : (Hero the text of the retraction is included.) : This declaration or rotraction was signed together wi i geton Heestt Chiat of tho Sickel, aod Sefor-Moure, Adjutant oF tin’ priaey 2 bY "3 f \ ah _ aza. ‘That morning, Father aura “went to the pris mo Pras tettane ioesde encabecthe inet Hane Wel erovarsea ere ine wal that, by the way Iwas going, I would some day come to be shot. “y0ld me then] & prophet. I will die on the scaffold.” Father a¥ou have took leave of Kisal exhorting him to be penis was deefily mnc¥ed: = Hevoul,”" He was also ‘visited during the day or at Gate yi, try to” eave 1 ernor, the Fiscal of His Majesty, several Officors of Ariat®, *8® Civil Gi on Sther persons, Everybody wondured at the calmuus actully; snd, by ssome tnd preserved up to tho lest hour_of his fe. “"? a canes : owed His poor seventy-yesr-old' mother Jand f hic ‘wigs ‘ He shook hands with them. (ltwaaforbidden to os, stare Went’ to a Ber 2 Anyone) © See) him pardon from his mother, he asked Ber blessi: t Pevlete, Dr. ‘Risal remained in. the chapel “cen fice Be hand. ’, Hel asked agsinst what ia customary in such cases. But there wont Without “gePecial ee sentrieg «7 Shack], eon es Wat fect weteh, saa 9 a heSpanish artillery-men, end two officers. He told tho Fathers about an j ‘We-had_congarning~the~scieitifié-problem of continuous motion and the stccr of dizigibles. He gave me gome commissions for certain persons Amon ota things, (he requested) that I ask pardon for him from Father Ubachs sions missionary in ‘Dapitan, Tor whatever offense he might have. given the He wrote io his sister, giving hor good advice and asking pacdan [com tive i family. Iie Graco the “Archbishop ordered me to say to lizal that he % much interested in him, and that he was ready to elp in whatever wey i could, both him and his family, even with pecuniary risources, if’ wore venient. With all his heart, Rizal wos grateful for such a offering lio ty quested mei “convey “his “gratitude to His Grace. After ‘all’ these ‘acts, -....."he knelt down of his owa’ accord’ belare’ if altar of the Virgin, placed in the chapel coll. In the presence of the Fathead of the Judge Advocate, of the Chief of tho Picket, ‘of the Adjutont ot a Plas, of three artillery officers, Rizal asked me for his retraction and profess SA. of faith. He proceeded to read it with pauso and devotion, 4 OF all that hes been norrated, i am positive by personal knowledge p | have. personally intervened and wilnessed it myself; and Peubseribe aad ern jit with an oath, And lest, perhaps, someone may think that I” could. nf remember it with so many details, after twenty years, 1 testify that on tb very day of Rizal's tcdth T wrote a very doiailed’ account of everything The original of this account I have preserved, and from it I have taken 4 the data of the present narration. Finally, I declare and affirm thot, a little béforeizal came out frot the chapel, J_Joft.d2.the-company of Josephine Bracken“ and a sister of Ky from whom, after a while, I departed. Pints “briaging. ith me. Rizel's e handwritten retraction, signed by him ond by the witnesses. Before Rizalg reached Bagumbaysn, I went to tho Aterco and delivered the sforementions ydogument to Father Pio Pi, who that very day brought it to the Pala \etid handed it to Archbishop Nozaleda. His Grace entrusted it to his See tary, Rowerend—Fomis~GanzAlez_Feijéo, who kept it in the Secretary's Office he chest. of reserved documonts. ~this last fact I know through the ttf 2s,,mony of His Grace, the Most Reverend Bernardino Nozaleds, and of hig Secretary. The other things I have declared J know as on eyewitness and becaus UT personally took part in the said events. 2. Captain RAFAEL DOMINGUEZ Y GARCIA, Colonel oJ the Manila Garrison and Judge Advocate in Rizal's Wial, on duty t watch over the corict-allehe-time che was in the chapel. In the-NOTARIAL ACT signed by him in the city of Badajoz Spain, May 30, 1918, before Don Benjamin Hscola y Manso, Nolary Lawyer of —the—Hiusitios Colleges of Madrid, Salamanca and way dajoz, with Don Pedro Murillo Pavén-and Don Marceliano ‘Torre joneillo Casado as witnesses: (Notarial Act duly legalized by. naldo S. Castleman, Vice-Consul of the United States of America, Madrid, Spain)}® he declared: A—That while he was in Manila towards the end of 1896, as Capta then of ‘the Garrison in that fortress, he was appointed Judge Advocate ini tho trial against Dr. Jos¢ Itizal by itis Hxccllency, the Captain Ueneral of jf the Philippines. That is yhy when the-cneewtion ofthe deat “sentence nounced against him by the Council of War that judged him was to be plished I had to fulfill the nainfulduty, imposed by my office of remaining | near the conviét “all the time he was ia’ the chapel T preserve with me some NOTES taken during those twenty-four hours in the chapel,—hours which for me were of great cmotion. During that timo, acither the ofliccr 4 Appendix No. & pp. 133 ff‘of the escort nor T, lost sight of the convi fe a lost si nvict even for e mom i NOTES may holp to lant ‘ertain details, Ae a feithful defender 42 . in by rofessic ri ure, 00 te The Notary Lawyer added: .-.. The”NOTES which follow reproduce literally whet x text ‘of ‘tlio sumo NOTES ie exhibited by tho testifying petty. ("hes are handwritten, in four sheets of lined paper, folded into 17° and at the Durgin of each one of its pages I sign leave cated). “NOTES ON THE EXECUTION OF RIZAL" “~ Qn the twenty-ninth of December of 1896/" at seven o'clock, 2” Ihe the Pilypno Doctor, José Tie ‘was ated on the chapel, after bend 170%, of the death sentence which he signed though protesting agamnst Mo) The Sankago, a big room was prepared selling a large~allar arranged 1” its ae * officer Aonvict was wiched over by ¢ Picket of Artillery, under the command of So del: ‘who detached two sentries. -(Then follows written with pencil ‘Don Officer of Fresno—which, according to the testifying party, is tho name of the” “tts Picket). e , i er The Reverend Jesuit Fathers, Luis Viea, José Vilaclara, Vicente Balague’, and Faura, come to visit him. He is also. visiled by’ the Civil Governér, saith Pascal of ‘Hie “Majesty and oiher persons of rank. ~ He. recewes’ everont’ °™ affabilily and a wonderful . calmness. : Al one o'clock he dined. His. condition is serene. » (Here follow five, pineal with_words--cangelled sd illegible because of the ink covering ther): B presence of the Jasuit Pathers, he aks 10 get married ond he promises lo make his Bioecton, "He comers ilk’ the Fathers (hese present to Rizal_an image, carved #7 by him when he was studying in the Aleneo). He resists moking the abjuration ees! 7 Masonry. wer ie Me He writes several letters to his friend Don Fernando Benmantril ¥ a t and to his family, with his last declarations. He also writes to, his “future wifes} ‘He rests for a short time. Al. four-o'chock—his mother comes “to - visit hitn;'s this: ‘meeting is very moving. ,-The officer—of--the” escort and jJ } myself: witnessed «it Rizal kneeling down before his aged mother asking her» pardons and.: kissing ‘her| i fonds... Tt was necessary lo separate them... Rizal': weeps: Afterwards, "hie sisier’ Narcisa comes in, bids him farewell without ‘coming near’ him.7; (Herel 1", follow some words cancelled and ‘Megible because ’.of: the ink’: covering “them, eS and the paragraph ends in this wise): Rizal's father did’ not ‘like to come in.7:; He is blind, the poor old man. He is deeply grieved. Pe errerery ee Sane E fler these interviews, follow the conferences’ with Fathers Balaguer ‘and. y bb Hes sata pizal is yalding' Ble by lille. AL cght o'dock, we take eu ee BN ee sotton is abcul region. He manifests noble sentiments. :: He upper. The BC Judges ond reckons the hours of Wje remaining to him. His condition sehen st i l anquil He sits down to urile.. The Fathers accompany Kim: dian | BEN ie mikes hin Confession to Fr, Vilaclara, Once Kine At about inclae' aloe ai, \Rathers, the Officer of the Pickel, two other Officers, and mysel panied by the H.° before the allar, and all those that are present kneel too. iy: he kneels: down Fe ee eee a creivthe Jollawing daclaration ‘which war signed noe reads in. a ‘clead _ text of the retraction is included). im: “(Here ‘the full | In another part of the NOTARIAL ACT where th: EPicve been included, Colonel Rafael Domingues Garcia ‘desine's NOTES P4 ed ‘also: 4 . ‘As a confirmation that thero is no doubt al tha peeks Betoe Pinas taunt inok for an ienue of the daily St eaee jFetactio i SF what. date,—which published with pictures and grost’ yal, don’ of Risal with the title ‘La Vide Retrospective” (Retrog, details ection, “Rizal en Capilia” (Risal in Chapel), among wait er. ee iu serally: “But in the chapel it was snother thing. In the frst place, the statucts ofthe Heart at Jesus, carved by him when he was still a student at the Atenco, madi & deep impression upon him... Unable to evade the reminiscences of ie! past, and after a long controversy he at last yiclded, rather eut of fect’ than out of reason, and signed the retraction of his errors, abjuriag free-thinia pie” As T have said, Udo not. koow the date of that periadieal” [ remeniee however, that it was'on an snniversary of the death of Iisal and uriden fi the partymen and admirers of Rizal. I still keep with mo half of that eet that is, the section devoted to “Retrospective Life.” In the columas some vac appear, which they say ho wrote a fow hours before his death. I do not recat saything about them, nor do they appesr in my NOTES. I believe that lial indeed wrote them, but not in: the chapel. With respect to citing witnesses, I cannot do so sinco I don’t rememly others than the Jesuit Fathers, the Officer of the Pickct aod two sculries. The Notary Lawyer added at the end of this Affidavit: Finally, the testifying party declared that by the present Act he wanted to ratify the euthenticity of the preceding NOTES which wore taken by him self, as it has been stated, while Dr. Risal was kept in the chapel, and whill the events of which he had boon an eyewitness, and which gj pear reflectod| in those NOTES with all fidelity end accuracy, ‘were taking place before his| eyes. 3. Lieutenant MARIANO MARTINEZ GALLEGOS, on military) duty at Fort Santiago, on December 29 and $0, 1896. In the NOTARIAL ACT signed by this fomer Lieutenant of infantry, in the City of Manila, Philippines, on July 29, 1952, before the Notaiy| Public Don Enrique Ramirez, he declared the following points: (Cf. our Appendix 1). Towards the end of Decomber, 1896, and oven since December 8th of the proceeding yeas, I was residing in Manila, 'é graduate of the ROYAL MILITARY ACADEMY with the rank of First Licutenant. I was stationed in the Royal Fort Santiago, performing my military duty in one of tho pickets as adjutant of Commander Eloy Moure. When Dr. Rizal’ was read his death sentence on the 29th of tho mentioned month of December, 1898, the Chaplain of artillery ard Commander Fresno and Moure were present with their two adjutants: Martin, Licutenant of artillery, and tho deponeat, Gallegos, who was a Licutenant of Infantry. From thet momont on, both of us, Licutenant Martn and Gallegos, ware] on guard duty all the time Tizal was in chapel. Afterwards, both accompanied bit to Bagumbayan up to the minute his corpse was delivered to be brought 45 Paco cemetery. Thore were also other three solilicrs of the Artillery Cor Ves sentries in Fort Santiago, but they were being relieved every six hours. 1, on the other hand, could sec and har the greater part of the facts that happened within the last twenty-four hours of Doctor Rizal; aud I resolutely state that 1 witnessed his conversion to the Catholic feith and the clear testimony he gave of it, And, in order to avoid any objection which later on could be raised ogaiast ry festimony, I wish the following facis, of which I' was an eyewitness on account| of being present when they took place, to be recorded in aa authentic ou dependable way: 2 Ractnr west Rizal weave ond sigmed w-document vi retraction and profession of Catholic faith, which officers Fresno and Moure also signe: as witnesses. wee “ ~ 4, Reverend LUIS VIZA ¥ MARTI, S.J., the priest who brought to Rizal the statubie 0f-the-Sceréd Heart of Jesus which became a pro- vidential instrument of God's grace in. the conversion of Rizal. 12 for othe shal