Report Conflict

Retraction of
Rizal
Did Jose Rizal died as a Catholic?
There is one issue in Jose Rizal’s life that historians have debated
on several occasions but remains unsettled. That issue is whether
Rizal, on the eve of his death, re-embraced the Catholic faith and
disassociated himself from Masonry.
Introduction
The Philippines is known in history as the country that waged the first anti-
colonial revolution in Asia, which it did from 1896 to 1898. The Philippine
Revolution was a long process, and its success may be attributed to many
individuals who fought heroically against the Spaniards. One hero of the
Philippine Revolution was Jose Rizal. His writings awakened his
countrymen and inspired them to wage the first anti-colonial movement in
SEA. With Rizal being an international and national hero, his life story has
been written and scrutinized by Filipino and foreign scholars for more than
a century There is one issue in Rizal’s life that historians have debated on
several occasions but remains a hot topic even now. That is whether Rizal,
on the eve of his death in 1896, re-embraced the Catholic faith and
disassociated himself from Masonry
Controversy

Since Rizal’s retraction letter was discovered by Father Manuel

Garcia, C.M. in 1935, its content has become a favorite subject of
dispute among academicians and Catholics. The letter, dated
December 29, 1896, was said to have been signed by the
National Hero himself.
 The Statement
of Rizal
The controversy whether the National
Hero actually wrote a retraction
document only lies in the judgment of
its reader, as no amount of proof can
probably make the two opposing groups
—the Masonic Rizalists (who firmly
believe that Rizal did not withdraw) and
the Catholic Rizalists (who were
convinced Rizal retracted)—agree with
each other.
“I declare myself a
Catholic and in this
religion in which I was
born and educated I
wish to live and die. I
retract with all my heart
whatever in my words,
writings, publications
and conduct has been
contrary to my character
as son of the Catholic
Proofs,documents and Theories
According to a testimony by Father
History books tell most Vicente Balaguer, a Jesuit missionary
who befriended the hero during his
people that the first draft exile in Dapitan, Rizal accepted a
of the retraction was sent shorter retraction document prepared
by Archbishop Bernardino by the superior of the Jesuit Society in
Nozaleda to Rizal’s cell in the Philippines, Father Pio Pi.
Fort Santiago the night
before his execution in
Bagumbayan. But Rizal
was said to have rejected
the draft because it was
lengthy.
Proofs,documents and Theories (Jose Victor Torres)
Rizal then wrote his retraction after
making some modifications in the
document. In his retraction, he
disavowed Masonry and religious
thoughts that opposed Catholic belief.
“Personally, I did not believe he
retracted, but some documents that was
purchased by the Philippine
government from Spain in the mid-
1990s, the Cuerpo de Vigilancia de
Manila,” showed some interesting
points about the retraction, said Jose
Victor Torres, professor at the History
department of the De La Salle
Despite this, Torres said his perception of the Filipino
martyr would not change even if the controversies were
true.
“Even though it would be easy to say he retracted all
that he wrote about the Church, it still did not change
the fact that his writings began the wheels of change in
Philippine colonial society during the Spanish period—
a change that led to our independence,” Torres said.
“The retraction is just one aspect of the life, works, and
writings of Rizal.”
But then, Torres noted that the controversy is irrelevant
today.
“The way Rizal is taught in schools today, the retraction
 Opinions
Filipino historian Nicolas Zafra
considered the controversy as
“a plain unadorned fact of
history, having all the marks
and indications of historical
certainty and reality” in his
book The Historicity of Rizal’s
Retraction.
Dr. Augusto De Viana, head of UST’s
Department of History , also believes
that Rizal retracted and said the
National Hero just renounced from the
Free Masonry and not from his famous
nationalistic works. He said rizal died
as a cahtolic he is buried in paco
cemetery. But he also said it’s
impossible the letter was forged
because there are witnesses. Lastly
whether if this is true or not, Rizal
already did a lot for our country by
waking up our nationalism.
Thank you for listening