Ladies and gentlemen, today I speak before you to argue the significance of Fr.

Vicente Balaguer as an
eyewitness to the retraction of Jose Rizal and the compelling case for Jose Rizal’s reaffirmation of his
faith as the basis for the retraction he made in the final moments of his life.

According to the account of Fr.Vicente Balaguer (one of the Jesuits sent to Rizal’s detention cell to take
care of Rizal’s spiritual needs while the latter waited the hour of his death), he and Fr. Villaclara talked to
Rizal 3 times on December 29, 1896. And it was during their third meeting that they showed Rizal the
two retraction templates prepared by Father Pio Pi (superior of the Jesuits). According to Fr. Balaguer,
Rizal found the first template unacceptable because it was too long and its language and style were not
reflective of his personality. So Fr. Balaguer withdrew it and offered the shorter one. After again making
revision and other minor changes to the draft, Rizal together with Senor Fresno (chief of the picket) and
Senor Moure (adjutant of the plaza) signed the retraction letter before midnight.

The Cuerpo de Vigilancia also showed some interesting points about the retraction. A document from
the said collection stated that Federico Moreno, who happened to be the guard of the cell where Rizal
was kept, documented what was happening in the last 24 hours before the execution. Moreno, in other
words is an “additional independent eyewitness account.”

According to the statement, Rizal wrote a paper he heard of the retraction. Also mentioned were two
Jesuit priests who entered Rizal's prison — Vilaclara and March and talked to Rizal three times that day.
Ultimately, it mentioned that Rizal, together with del Fresno and Maure, signed the document.

According to Fr. Balaguer , Rizal also asked for a mass and request for Holy Communion. He also
mentioned that Rizal asked the image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ( Sagrado Corazon de Jesus) as well
as the image of the cross and has a rosary entwined in his hand. It is also in Balaguer’s account that he
was the one who solemnized the marriage of Josephine Bracken and Rizal hours before the execution.

Moreno, in the same note, reported that right after rizal signed the reatraction letter, he read the Acts
of Faith, Hope and Charity as well as the Prayers of the Departing Soul, kneel in front of the altar and
read his prayer book. Moreno also reported that in the early morning of the following day, Rizal and
Josephine Bracken got married. Lastly, Moreno reported that minutes before Rizal was brought to
Luneta, he confessed to Fr. March, received Holy Communion, and kissed the image of the Blessed
Mother.

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Firstly, let us acknowledge the credibility of Fr. Balaguer as a witness. Fr. Balaguer was not only a Jesuit
priest but also a close confidant of Rizal during his imprisonment in Fort Santiago. His proximity to Rizal
and their frequent interactions provide a unique vantage point to observe any significant events,
including the retraction. Fr. Balaguer’s status as a religious figure also adds a layer of authenticity to his
testimony, as priests were seen as authoritative and trustworthy sources in matters of faith and
confession.
Now, isn’t it enough to prove that retraction really took place given the identical and
interconnectedness of the statements of Father Balaguer and Moreno, and the confirmation of
Moreno’s statements to fr. Balaguer’s? i.e.3 meetings between the 2 priests and rizal, the signatories,
the marriage and the acts of piety?

(The fact that the marriage took place is a confirmation that Rizal re-embraced his Catholic faith). Both
accounts enumerated numerous events that occurred unless Rizal had been converted back to
Catholicism. These include the celebration of the sacrament of matrimony, his confession, his
attendance at the Mass, his request for a prayer book and Holy Communion, and his act of venerating
the crucifix as well as the Blessed Mother. All of these acts are closely associated with the Catholic
Church.

Fr. Villaclara and Fr. Vicente’s condition was set clear that Rizal should not be given the sacraments he
needed, unless he signed the retraction letter and making a profession of faith. In other words, Rizal
could never performed acts of piety and marry Josephine Bracken before his execution unless he
retracted, thus receiving such sacraments serve as a powerful testament to Rizal’s enduring connection
to his Catholic faith, a strong evidence that retraction have made in the final moments of his life.