The Rizal Bill of
1956 Horacio de
la Costa and the Bishops
Canon Law
It is a set of ordinances and regulations made by
ecclesiastical authority, for the government of a
Christian organization or church and its
members
Pastoral Letter
It is often called simply a pastoral; an open
letter addressed by a bishop to the clergy or
laity of a diocese or to both, containing general
admonition, instruction or consolation, or
directions for behavior in particular
circumstances.
❑ A brilliant writer, scholar, and historian
❑ The first Filipino Provincial Superior of the
Society of Jesus in the Philippines, and a
recognized authority in Philippine and Asian
culture and history.
❑ Authored many books and articles, played
key roles in a variety of organizations, and
received many honors for his accomplishments.
❑ A key document of the Jesuits' 32nd General
Congregation, Jesuits Today was entrusted to
him to prepare and was accepted by the fathers
of the congregation virtually as presented.
❑ He died of cancer in 1977
Horacio de la Costa’s writings
➢ The Jesuits in the Philippines 1581 – 1768
➢ The Trial of Dr. Rizal, an edited translation of
W.E. Retana’s transcription of the official
Spanish documents
➢ Readings in Philippines History
Horacio de la Costa
• He was asked to draft for the Church a
pastoral letter on the writings of Jose Rizal
being included in the reading the curriculum of
students in the Philippines.
• It is not something many know, but he
actually expressed a positive view of Rizal,
hailing Rizal as a “builder of a nation.”
• He played a hidden role in the “Rizal Battle”
controversy
• Among De la Costa’s papers, there are five
drafts, all containing many passages of his
original, but with significant differences at
times.
• A, B, C, D, and E; name of the drafts. All of
them are carbon copies, the originals
presumably having been sent to his critic and/or
the bishop’s committee.
The Draft A
❑ Original Draft
❑ 20 typewritten pages
❑ Most expressed view of De la Costa
❑ Balance of Judgement
❑ “The Catholic Church in itself is never against
the legitimate political and social aspiration of
any people”
❑ “cannot be read by young people, without
the aid of a competent teacher or editor”
– plays from Shakespeare
Draft “A” Important points
■ Rizal – is a national hero, a moral teacher, and
a moral example.
■ First among Filipinos who have distinguished
themselves for service to their country. He
possessed an eminent degree of those moral
virtues that make up true patriotism
■ Dispelling the ignorance of his people, raising
their moral standards
■ Filipino people were also victims of their own
vices and defects
■ Writings of Rizal should be read and even
introduced into our schools.
■ Rizal declared he did not intend to attack the
Catholic Church itself, but the abuses in it.
■ Must not allow the enemies of the Catholic
Church to tear texts from their context to imply
the opposite.
■ Rizal wrote about fictional crimes of fictional
characters, which had a basis in fact.
■ In doing this, Rizal did not attack the Catholic
Church itself; rather he did it a service.
■ Since the history of the nineteenth century is
imperfectly known, many take fictional
narratives like Rizal’s novels as substitutes for
the facts.
■ The main danger in their indiscriminate and
undirected reading, especially by the young.
■ Therefore, Rizal’s novels should be made
familiar to students.
■ Should be accurate translations, properly
annotated by a scholar familiar with the civil
history of Rizal’s period. Should be explained by
the teacher in charge.
■ There is nothing in the novels that constitute
a danger in the faith and morals of a mature,
well-instructed Catholic.
■ They contain much that is in conformity with
the Gospel and right reason and will serve to
develop in our people a wise and generous love
of their native land.
The Draft B
❑A copy of “A”, with handwritten changes
❑Most likely, a copy made during a meeting
with De la Costa’s critics
The Draft C
❑ Fr. Jesus Cavanna is involved (Interlocutor)
❑ Shows conscious effort of denying Rizal the
moral role
– Rizal is a political and social reformer, not
moral one
❑ Retaining the point about Kapitan Tiyago’s
veneration of the saints, and omission of
Pilosopo Tasio’s belief regarding the Purgatory.
❑ Rizal wrote fiction; not history.
❑ Not advisable for high schools students to
read the entire text of the novels
– Instead, an abridged edition adapted to these
levels
❑ Some time of 1952, the draft where out of
De la Costa’s
❑ He was dismayed when he saw what
happened on the draft in the bishops’
“Statement”
❑ the abuses in the practice of religion ---
"some practices of the Catholic religion“
❑ criticizing "superstitious observances" ---
criticizing
"practices of the Church“

❑ "considerable portion" of the novel --- "larger

part“
The Draft D
❑ the priests are not said to be "bad" --- merely
❑A shortened version of “C”
"disedifying“
❑This was not used by Fr. Cavanna
❑ Cavanna quoted on a translated book from
Roman Ozaeta’s version of Palma’s biography of
Rizal, “The pride of the Malay Race”
The Draft E
The Statement
❑ A copy of “C”
❑ Quoted letters
❑Phrases or paragraphs were underlined by De
la Costa – Rizal to Hidalgo

– To show omissions or changes introduced – to Blumentritt

on “Statement” ❑ Rafael Palma paraphrases the quotes

The Statement – Cavanna may have misinterpreted the quotes,

as an attack on the church
❑ “Statement of the Philippine Hierarchy on
the novels of Dr. Jose Rizal Noli Me Tangere and
El Filibusterismo”

❑ Principal author – Fr. Jesus Cavanna

❑ Indications that the bishop(s) may have

intervened

❑ Drastically different in terms of text and tone

from the “drafts”

The “Statement” terminologies

❑ "Spanish colonial administration" ---

"administration of his time“

❑ "the first place of honor ... by universal

consent" --- "the highest“

❑ "Excellent" --- "great“