

IN SUNNY SPAIN 

Why did Rizal go to Spain?

·         Spain was a constitutional monarchy under a written constitution which

granted human rights to thepeople

·         Freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and of assembly

·         Secret mission

Secret Mission

·         To observe the life and culture, languages and customs, industries and
commerce, and governments and laws of   the   European   nations   in   order to
prepare himself in the   mighty   task   of   liberating   his oppressed people from
Spanish tyranny

Secret Departure for Spain

·         It was kept to avoid detection from Spanish authorities and friars

·         Even his parents did not know about it

·         The Ateneo priests gave him letters of recommendation to the members of

their society in Barcelona

·         He used the name Jose Mercado

Singapore

·         He visited the Botanical Garden, Buddhist temples, shopping district, and the
statue of Sir Thomas Stanford Raffles, founder of Singapore

Sri Lanka

·         He was unimpressed by this town, writing in his travel diary, “the general
appearance of Point Galle is picturesque but lonely and quiet at the same time
sad”

·         Colombo – more beautiful, smart, elegant than Singapore, Point Galle, and
Manila

Naples

·         He was pleased because of its business activity, its lively people, and its
panoramic beauty

·         He was fascinated by Mt. Vesuvius, the castle of St. Telmo, and other historic
sights of the city
Marseilles

·         Stayed 2 and half days in Marseilles, visiting the famous Chateau d’If, where
Dantes was imprisoned

·         He read the book The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas when he
was a student of Ateneo

Barcelona

·         He noticed the indifference accorded by the Spanish immigration officers to

tourists in contrast with the courtesy of the French immigration officers

·         June 16, he finally reached Barcelona

·         His impression of the city was unfavorable

·         He later changed his impression and came to like the city

·         Atmosphere of freedom and liberalism, people were open-hearted, hospitable

and courageous

·         He visited Las Ramblas, the most famous street in Barcelona

Life in Madrid

·         November 3, 1882, he enrolled in the Universidad Central de Madrid (Central

University of Madrid)

·         He enrolled in Medicine and Philosophy and Letters

·         He studied painting and sculpture in the Academy of Fine Arts of San

Fernando

·         He took lessons in French, German, and English under private tutors

·         Practiced fencing and shooting in the Hall of Arms of Sanz y Carbonell

·         He visited the art galleries and museums and read books on all subjects
under the sun

·         He led a Spartan life in Madrid

·         Budgeted his money and time

·         He lived a frugal life

·         Never wasted a single peseta for gambling, wine and women; invested a few
pesetas for wine and women

·         Spent his leisure time reading, writing, attending reunions, and practicing
fencing and shooting

·         On Saturday evenings, he visited the home of Don Pablo Ortiga Rey, the
former city mayor of Manila
Romance with Consuelo Ortiga y Perez

·         He was a shy small man, a few inches above five feet in height, but he
possessed an aura of charisma due to his many splendored talents and noble
character which made him attractive to romantic young women

·         Consuelo fell in love with him

·         He compose a poem titled “A La Senorita C.O.y R.

·         But Rizal backed out for two reasons:

1.       He was still engaged to Leonor Rivera

2.       His friend and co-worker in the Propaganda Movement, Eduardo de

Lete, was madly in love with Consuelo

Rizal’s First Visit to Paris

·         During his first summer vacation in Madrid, Rizal went to Paris

·         Visited the beautiful boulevards, the Opera House, Place de la Concorde,

The Arch of Triumph, Bois de Boulogne, Madeleine Church, The Cathedral of
Notre Dame, Column of Vendome, Invalides, Versailles, Louvre, botanical
gardens, Luxembourg

·         He observed the examination of different diseases of women

·         He was mistaken as a Japanese by the Parisians

·         “Paris is the costliest capital in Europe.” – Rizal

Rizal as a Mason

·         He came in close contact with prominent Spanish liberal and republican

Spaniards who were mostly masons

·         Rizal was impressed by the way the Spanish masons  openly and  freely
criticized the  government policies and lambasted the friars, which could not be
done in the Philippines

·         In May 1883, he joined the Masonic lodge called Acacia in Madrid

·         This was to secure the Freemasonry’s aid in his fight against the friars in the
Philippines

·         He transferred to Lodge Solidaridad where he became a master mason

·         On February 15, 1892, he was awarded the diploma as master mason by Le

Grand Orient de France in Paris

·         His only masonic writing was a lecture entitled Science, Virtue and Labor
which he delivered in 1889

Studies Completed in Spain

 ·         Rizal completed his medical course in Spain

·         He was conferred the degree of licentiate in Medicine by the Universidad

Central de Madrid on June21, 1884

·         The next academic year he studied and passed all subjects leading to the
degree of Doctor of Medicine

·         He did not present his thesis and pay the corresponding fees; he was not
awarded his doctor’s diploma

·         He also finished his studies in Philosophy and Letters

·         He was awarded the degree of Licentiate in Philosophy and Letters by the

Universidad Central de Madrid on June 19, 1885

·         By obtaining the degree of Licentiate in Philosophy and Letters, he became

qualified to be a professor of humanities in any Spanish university

·         By receiving his degree licentiate in Medicine, he became a full-fledged

physician, qualified to practice medicine

·         He did not bother to secure the post-graduate degree of Doctor of Medicine

because it was, together with the Licentiate in Philosophy and Letters, were good
only for teaching purposes

PARIS TO BERLIN (1885-1887) (ICOY)

After completing his studies in Spain, Rizal went to Paris and Germany for his
specialization in ophthalmology. He chose this course of medicine because he
wanted to cure his mother’s growing eye ailment. 
He still hasn’t forgotten his ‘secret mission’—to observe the customs and lifestyle of
the Europeans so that someday he will render service to his fatherland.

1885-1886 (In Gay Paris)

After completing his studies at Central University of Madrid, he went to Paris in order
to acquire more knowledge in ophthalmology. He was 24 then. He stopped over at
Barcelona, on his way to Paris, to visit his friend Maximo Viola who is also a medical
student and a member of a rich family in Bulacan. And on November of that year,
Rizal was living in Paris where he sojourned for about four months. He worked as an
apprentice of Dr. Louis de Weckert, who is a then, a leading French ophthalmologist.
And with his master, his knowledge in ophthalmology improved.

While not working at Dr. Weckert’s clinic, Rizal visited his friends, such as the family
of Pardo de Taveras, Juan Luna and Felix Resurreccion, Hidalgo.

Rizal spent many happy hours in the studio of Luna. Luna discussed with Rizal
various problems on art and improved his own painting technique. Rizal posed to
some painting of Luna. He was one of the Egyptian priests in Luna’s painting “The
Death of Cleopatra”.

At Heidelberg

Rizal left Paris on February 1, 1886, after acquiring enough experience in the clinic of
Dr. Weckert. He was set to go to Germany. He visited Strasbourg and other German
towns.

On February 3, 1886, he arrived in Heidelberg, a historic city in Germany famous for

its old university and romantic surroundings.  He lived in a boarding house with some
German law students. The German students found out that Rizal was a good chess
player and made him a member of the Chess Player’s Club. After a few days, he was
transferred to a boarding house which was near University of Heidelberg. He worked
at the University Eye Hospital under the direction of Dr. Otto Becker and attended the
lectures of Doctor Becker and Prof. Wilhelm Kuehne at the university.

At weekends he visited the scenic spots around Heidelberg which includes the
Heidelberg Castle, the romantic Neckar Rivera, the theater, and the old churches.
Rizal noticed that the German Catholics and the Protestants practiced ecumenism
wherein they live together in harmony and cordiality.

On April 22, 1886, spring on Heidelberg, he wrote a poem to the beautiful blooming
flowers at the Neckar River. Among those was his favorite flower—the forget-me-not.

Rizal then spent three-month summer vacation at Wilhelmsfeld, a mountainous

village close to Heidelberg. He stayed at the vicarage of a kind Protestant pastor, Dr.
Karl Ullmer. He was very delighted in his stay at the Ullmers.

On July 31, 1886, Rizal wrote his first letter in German to Professor Ferdinand
Blumentritt. Rizal heard that Blumentritt was interested in the Philippine languages.
Along with the letter was a book entitled Aritmetica. Delighted with Rizal, Blumentritt
send gift books to Rizal. This marked the beginning of their long and frequent
correspondence.

Rizal was fortunate to be sojourning in Heidelberg when the famous University of

Heidelberg held its fifth centenary celebration on August 6 of 1886. It was three days
before his departure and he was sad because he had come to love the land and the
beautiful city.

In Leipzig and Dresden

On August 9, 1886, three days after the fifth centenary of the University of the
Heidelberg, Rizal left the city. He boarded a train and visited various cities of
Germany until arriving in Leipzig on August 14, 1886. He attended some lectures in
the University of Leipzig and befriended Professor Friedrich Ratzel, a famous
German historian, and Dr. Hans Meyer, German anthropologist.

Rizal translated William Tell from German to Filipino so that Filipinos might know the
story of that champion of Swiss independence. He also translated into Filipino, Hans
Christian Andersen’s Fairy Tales.

Cost of living in Leipzig is the cheapest in Europe so he stayed there for two months
and a half. During his stay, he corrected some chapters in his second novel and also
had time for exercise. He also worked as a proof-reader in a publishing firm and
earning some money.

Dresden
Rizal left Leipzig to set course on Dresden on October 29, 1886. At Dresden, Rizal
met Dr. Adolph Meyer, the director of the Anthropological and Ethnological Museum.
He stayed only two days in the city. He heard the Holy Mass in a Catholic church
which greatly impressed him, for he wrote “Truly I have never in my life heard a Mass
whose music had greater sublimity and intonation”.

Morning of November 1, Rizal left Dresden by train reaching Berlin in the evening.

Berlin

Rizal liked Berlin because of its atmosphere which was very scientific and the
absence of race prejudice. Also, here he met Dr. Feodor Jagor author of Travels in
the Philippines, a book that Rizal admired because of its keen observances in the
Philippine setting. Dr. Jagor in turn, introduced Rizal to Dr. Rudolf Virchow, a famous
anthropologist and to his son, Dr. Hans Virchow, professor of Descriptive Anatomy.
Rizal worked in the clinic of Dr. Karl Ernest Schweigger, a famous German
ophthalmologist.

Rizal was the first Asian to be accorded with honors for being a member of the
Anthropological Society, the Ethnological Society, and the Geographical Society of
Berlin. Dr. Virchow recognized Rizal’s genius, invited him to give a lecture before the
Ethnographic Society of Berlin. Rizal wrote a scholarly paper entitled Taglische
Verkunst (Tagalog Metrical Art) which elicited favorable comments from all scientific
quarters.

Rizal led a methodological life in Berlin. He worked as an assistant by day, and

attended lectures at night. He kept himself physically fit by daily exercises and
speaking German, French and Italian. Rizal took private lessons in the French
language under Madame Lucie Cerdole in order to master the French language.

He spends his leisure moments touring the country sides of Berlin and observing the
culture and life of the people. He also made sketches of the things he saw. About
observing culture, Rizal greatly admired the German Yuletide custom, wherein
Germans would take bushes from a pine tree and dress it up with lanterns, papers
and candies. Another interesting custom in Germany is that, when a man has nobody
to introduce him to the other guests, he bows his head to the guests and introduces
himself to the other guests and shakes hands of everyone in the room.

Not all the experiences of Rizal in Germany were good, there is this one winter time
wherein he lived in poverty because no money arrived from Calamba and he was flat
broke. During that time, he only eats one meal a day and had to wash his clothes
himself because he could not afford to pay the laundry. On Calamba, Paciano tried to
raise money but crops have failed due to locusts and the sugar market collapsed.

Rizal lived in Berlin, famous capital of unified Germany for five reasons: 
(1) to gain further knowledge of ophthalmology 
(2) to further his studies of sciences and languages 
(3) to observe the economic and political conditions of the German nation 
(4) to associate with famous German scientists and scholars 
(5) to publish his novel, Noli Me Tangere

(March 11, 1886)One of Rizal’s important letters written while he was in Germany
that addressed to his sister, Trinidad -in this letter, Rizal expressed his high regard
and admiration for German womanhood. 
-The German woman, said Rizal to his sister, is serious, diligent, educated, and
friendly. She is not gossipy, frivolous and quarrelsome · 
-Aside from the German women, Rizal admired the German customs which he
observed well

NOLI ME TANGERE PUBLISHED IN BERLIN (1887) (NHEL)

-The bleak winter of 1886 in Berlin was Rizal’s darkest winter because no money
arrived from Calamba and he was flat broke. The diamond ring which his sister,
Saturnina, gave him was in the pawnshop. It was memorable in the life of Rizal for
two reasons (1) it was a painful episode for he was hungry, sick and despondent in a
strange city (2) it brought him great joy after enduring so much sufferings, because
his first novel, Noli Me Tangere came off the press in March, 1887
· Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin- inspired Dr. Rizal to prepare a novel
that would depict the miseries of his people under the lash of Spanish tyrants
· January 2, 1884- in a reunion of Filipinos in the Paterno residence in Madrid, Rizal
proposed the writings of a novel about the Philippines by a group of Filipinos
· Toward the end of 1884, Rizal began writing the novel in Madrid and finished about
one-half of it
· When Rizal went to Paris, in 1885, after completing his studies in the Central
University of Madrid, he continued writing the novel, finishing one half of the second
half
· Rizal finished the last fourth of the novel in Germany. He wrote the last few
chapters of the Noli in Wilhelmsfeld in April-June, 1886
· In Berlin during the winter days of February, 1886, Rizal made the final revisions on
the manuscript of the Noli
· Maximo Viola- Rizal’s friend from Bulacan, arrived in Berlin at the height of Rizal
despondency and
loaned him the needed funds to publish the novel; savior of Noli
· After the Christmas season , Rizal put the finishing touches on his novel. To save
printing expenses, he deleted certain passages in his manuscript, including a whole
chapter—“Elias and Salome”
· February 21, 1887- the Noli was finally finished and ready for printing
· Berliner Buchdruckrei-Action-Gesselschaft- a printing shop which charged the
lowest rate, that is,
300 pesos for 2,00 copies of the novel
· March 21, 1887- the Noli Me Tangere came off the press
· March 29, 1887- Rizal, in token of his appreciation and gratitude, gave Viola the
galley proofs of the Noli carefully rolled around the pen that he used in writing it and a
complimentary copy, with the following inscription: “To my dear friend, Maximo Viola,
the first to read and appreciate my work—Jose Rizal”
· The title Noli Me Tangere is a Latin phrase which means “Touch Me Not”. It is not
originally conceived by Rizal, for he admitted taking it from the Bible
· Rizal, writing to Felix Hidalgo in French on March 5, 1887, said: “Noli Me Tangere,
words taken from the Gospel of St. Luke, signify “do not touch me” but Rizal made a
mistake, it should be
the Gospel of St. John (Chapter 20 Verses 13 to 17)
· Rizal dedicated his Noli Me Tangere to the Philippines—“To My Fatherland”
· The cover of Noli Me Tangere was designed by Rizal. It is a ketch of explicit
symbols. A woman’s head atop a Maria Clara bodice represents the nation and the
women, victims of the
social cancer. One of the causes of the cancer is symbolized in the friar’s feet,
outsized in relation to the woman’s head. The other aggravating causes of
oppression and discrimination are
shown in the guard’s helmet and the iron chains, the teacher’s whip and the alferez’s
scourge. A slight cluster of bamboo stands at the backdrop; these are the people,
forever in the background of their own country’s history. There are a cross, a maze,
flowers and thorny plants, a flame; these are
indicative of the religious policy, the misdirected ardor, the people strangled as a
result of these all
· The novel Noli Me Tangere contains 63 chapters and an epilogue
· Dr. Antonio Ma. Regidor- Filipino patriot and lawyer who had been exiled due to his
complicity in the
Cavite Mutiny of 1872, read avidly the Noli and was very much impressed by its
author

RIZAL’S GRAND TOUR OF EUROPE WITH MAXIMO VIOLA (1887)

Introduction

After the publication of Noli, Rizal planned to visit the important places in Europe. Dr.
Maximo Viola agreed to be his traveling companion. Rizal received Pacianos
remittance of P1000 which forward by Juan Luna from Paris and immediately paid
his debt to Viola which heloaned so that the Noli could be printed. 

Tour Begins

At the dawn of May 11, 1887, Rizal and Viola, two browned-skinned doctors on
aroaming spree, left Berlin by train. Spring was an ideal season for travel. Their
destination was inDresden, ³one of the best cities in Germany´.

Dresden

Rizal and Viola tarried for sometimes in Dresden. They visited Dr. Adolph B.
Meyer,who was overjoyed to see them. In the Museum of Art, Rizal was deeply
impressed by paintingof ³Prometheus Bound´. They also meet Dr. Jagor and heard
there plan about Leitmeritz inorder to see Blumentritt. He advice to wire Blumentritt
because the old professor might be shock of their visit.

First Meeting with Blumentritt

At 1:30 pm of May 15, 1887 the train arrived at the railroad station of
Leitmeritz.Professor Blumentritt was at the station carrying a pencil sketch of Rizal
which he sent toidentify his friend. Blumentritt get a room at Hotel Krebs, after which
he bought them to hishouse and stayed Leitmeritz May 13 to 14 1887.

Beautiful Memories at Leitmeritz

They enjoyed hospitality of Blumentritt family. The professor¶s wife, Rosa, was a
goodcook. She prepared Austrian dishes which Rizal¶s liked very much. Blumentritt
proved to be agreat tourist as well as hospitable host. He showed the scenic and
historical spots of Leitmeritz tohis visitors. The Burgomaster (town mayor) was also
amazed by Rizal¶s ³privileged talent´

Prague

Rizal and Viola visited the historic city of Prague. They carried letters of
recommendation from Blumentritt to Dr. Wilkom, professor in University of Prague.
Rizal and Viola visited the ³Tomb of Copernicus´

Vienna

May 20 they arrived at Vienna capital of Austria-Hungary. They met Norfenfals, one
of the greatest novelist iun that time. They stayed at Hotel Metropole. They also meet
two goodfriends of Blumentritt ± Masner and Nordman, Austrian scholars.

Danubian Voyage to Lintz

May 24, Rizal and Viola left Vienna on a river boat too se beautiful sights of
DanubeRiver. As they travelled along the famous river, Rizal observed keenly river
sights.

Form Lintz to Rheinfall

The river voyage ended in Lintz. They travelled overland to Salzburg, and from there
toMunich where the sojourned for a short time to savor the famous Munich Beer.

Crossing the Frontier to Switzerland

They stayed from June 2 to 3 1887 and continued tour to Basel (Bale), Bern,
andLaussane.

Geneva

Rizal and Viola left Laussane in a little boat crossing the foggy Leman Lake to
Geneva.On June 19, 1887, his 26 birthday, Rizal treated Viola to a blow-out. Rizal
th

and Viola spentfifteen days in Geneva. On June 23, they parted ways. Viola decided
to return to Barcelona whileRizal continued his tour to Italy.

Rizal Resents Exhibition of Igorots in 1887 Madrid Exposition

Rizal received sad news from his friends in Madrid of the deplorable conditions of the
primitive Igorots who were exhibited in this exposition. Some of these Igorots died.
Rizal wasoutraged by the degradation of his fellow countrymen.

Rizal in Italy

He visited Turin, Milan, Venice and Florence. On June 27, 1887, he reached Rome.
Hewas thrilled by the sights and memories of the Eternal City²Rome. On June 29th,
Rizal visitedfor the first time the Vatican, the ³City of the Popes´ and the capital of
Christendom. After aweek of staying in Rome, he prepared to return to the
Philippines. He had already written to hisfather that he was coming home.

RIZAL’S FIRST HOMECOMING (1887-1888)

Rizal’s plans of coming back home

·         As early as 1884, Rizal wanted to go back to the Philippines for the following

reasons:

-       Financial difficulties in Calamba

-       Dissatisfaction with his studies in Madrid

-       Desire to prove that there is no reason to fear going home. 

-       His belief that the Spanish regime will not punish the innocent.

Decision to return home

-       After five years of his memorable sojourn in Europe, Rizal returned to the
Philippines.

-       However, Rizal was warned by the following not to return to the Philippines
because his Noli Me Tangere angered the friars:

1.    Paciano Mercado

2.    Rizal’s adviser and only brother

3.    Silvestre Ubaldo

4.    Rizal’s brother in law; husband of Olimpia

5.    Jose Ma. Cecilio (Chenggoy)

6.    one of Rizal’s closest friends

 
 ·         Rizal was determined to come back to the Philippines for the following
reasons: – 

-       To operate his mother’s eyes

-       To serve his people who had long been oppressed by Spanish tyrants

-       To find out for himself how the Noli Me Tangere and his other writings were
affecting Filipinos and Spaniards

-       To inquire why Leonor Rivera remained silent

 Rizal arrives in Manila

-       Rizal left Rome by train to Marseilles, a French port and boarded Djemnah,
the same

steamer that brought him to Europe five years ago.

-       There were 50 passengers: 4 Englishmen, 2 Germans, 3 Chinese, 2

Japanese, 40

Frenchmen, and 1 Filipino (Rizal)

-       When the ship reached Aden, the weather became rough and some of Rizal’s
book

got wet.

-       In Saigon (Ho Chi Minh), Vietnam

§  he transferred to another steamer, Haiphong, that brought him to

Manila.

Happy Homecoming

·         When Rizal arrived in Calamba, rumors spread that he was a:

-       German spy

-       An agent of Otto Von Bismarck

-       The liberator of Germany

 -       A Protestant

-       A Mason

-       A soul halfway to damnation

·         Paciano – did not leave him during the first days after arrival to protect him
from any enemy assault.

·         Don Francisco – did not permit him to go out alone

In Calamba

·         Rizal established a medical clinic.

·         Doña Teodora – was Rizal’s first patient• Rizal treated her eyes but could not
perform any surgical operation because her cataracts were not yet ripe.

·         He painted several beautiful landscapes in Calamba.

·         He translated German poems of Von Wildernath in Tagalog.

·         Doctor Uliman

-       Rizal was called this name because he came from Germany.

- He earned P900 in a few months and P5,000 before he left the

     
Philippines.

·         Gymnasium – was opened by Rizal for the young people

·         He introduced European sports fencing and shooting to discourage them

from cockfighting and gambling

Sad moments while Rizal was in Calamba

·         Leonor Rivera – Rizal tried to visit her in Tarlac but his parents forbade him to
go because Leonor’s mother did not like him for a son-in- law.

·         Olimpia Mercado

-       Ubaldo

-       died because of child birth

 
Storm over the Noli Me Tangere

·         As Rizal was peacefully living in Calamba, his enemies plotted his doom.

·          Governor General Emilio Terrero

-       wrote to Rizal requesting to come to Malacañang Palace.

-       Somebody had whispered to his ear that the Noli contains subversive
ideas.

-       Rizal explained to him that he merely exposed the truth, but did not
advocate subversive ideas.

-       He was pleased by Rizal’s explanation and curious about the book, he

asked for a copy of the novel.

-       Rizal had no copy that time but promised to send one for him

Rizal visited the Jesuits

·         Rizal visited the Jesuit fathers to ask for their feedback on the novel.

·         He was gladly welcomed by the following friars:

-       Fr. Francisco de Paula Sanchez

-       Fr. Jose Bech

-       Fr. Federico Faura - told Rizal that everything in the novel was the truth and
warned him that he may lose his head because of it.

-       Governor-General Emilio Terrero - a liberal minded Spaniard who knew that

Rizal’s life was in jeopardy because the friars were powerful.

-       Because of this he gave Rizal a bodyguard to protect him.

Jose Taviel de Andrade

·         A young Spanish lieutenant who came from a noble family

·         He was cultured and knew painting• He could speak French, English and
Spanish.

·         They became good friends.

 

Attackers of the Noli

·         Archbishop Pedro Payo - a Dominican

·         Archbishop of Manila

·         Sent a copy of the Noli to Fr. Gregorio Echevarria, Rector of the University of
Santo Tomas to examine the novel.

UST and Rizal

·         The committee that examined the Noli Me Tangere were composed of

Dominican professors.

·         The report of the faculty members from UST about the Noli states that

·         the novel was:

-       Heretical, impious and scandalous in the religious orders, and anti-patriotic,

subversive of public order, injurious to the government of Spain and its function in
the Philippine Islands in the political order.

·         Governor-General Terrero

-       was not satisfied with the report so he sent the novel to the Permanent
Commission of Censorship which was composed of priests and lawyers.

·         Fr. Salvador Font

-       Augustinian friar curate of Tondo was the head of the commission.

-       The group found that the novel contains subversive ideas against the Church
and Spain and recommended that the importation, reproduction and circulation of
the pernicious book in the islands be absolutely prohibited.

·         The newspaper published Font’s written report

·         The banning of the Noli Me Tangere served to make it popular

·         The masses supported the book.

·         Fr. Jose Rodriguez

-       Augustinian Prior of Guadalupe

 -       Published a series of eight pamphlets under the heading Questions of
Supreme Interest to blast the Noli and other anti-Spanish writing.

-       Copies of anti-Rizal pamphlets were sold after mass

-       Many Filipinos were forced to buy them in order not to displease the friars.