The Rizal Retraction

The
Rizal
Retraction
Presented By:
Espiritu, Kenneth John

Baluya, Mark Anthony
1BSCS-1 (MW- 8:30-10:00
am)
Historical Context
 As leader of the reformist movement

in Spain, Dr. Jose Rizal was arrested,
tried, and sentenced to death by a
Spanish court-martial after being
implicated as a leader of Philippine
revolution.
 The night before his death, accounts
exist that Rizal allegedly retracted
his masonic ideals and his writings Rizal’s Execution in Bagumbayan
and reconverted to Catholicism
following several hours of
 Until today, the
persuasions issue priests.
by Jesuit whether Rizal
retracted or not and whether the
document is forged or real is a
subject of continuous debate
between historian and Rizal
scholars.
Historical Context
The following primary sources are of

the two kinds:
 The first two are the official
accounts as witnessed by the Jesuits
who were instrumental in the
alleged retraction of Rizal.
 The other two are the critical
analyses by the two Rizalist scholars Rizal’s Execution in Bagumbayan
who doubted the story of the
retraction.
Background of
the
Witnesses
Witnesses
Fr. Vicente
Balaguer
Background:
 One of the Jesuit priests who

visited Rizal during his last
hours in Fort Santiago
 Claimed that he managed to

persuade Rizal to denounce
Masonry and return to the
Catholic fold.
 Balaguer also claimed that he

was the one who solemnized
the marriage of Josephine
Bracken and Rizal hours before
the hero’s execution
Witnesses
Fr. Vicente
Account Content:
Balaguer
 “Before going to the Fort, I went to the palace in order to
receive orders and instructions from the Prelate. The
archbishop gave me the formula of retraction and profession
of faith, composed by reverend father Pio Pi…”
 “I who knew the history and errors In his books asked Rizal to
give an explanation of his ideas on religion. When I attacked
him (Rizal) with the logic and evidence of Catholic Truth, I
told him with energy that if he did not yield his mind and his
reason for the sake of faith, he would soon appear for
judgement before God and would surely be damned. ”
 “Upon hearing this threat, tears gushed from his eyes, and
he said: “No I will not damn myself”.”
 “Certainly after discussion, Dr. Rizal was yielding to the

Witnesses
Fr. Pio Pi
Background Context:
 He was the Jesuit Superior in

the Philippines during the time
Rizal was executed.
 In 1917, he issued an affidavit

recounting his involvement in
the alleged retraction of Rizal.
 Unlike Father Balaguer, he was

only involved in securing the
retraction document from the
Archbishop of Manila,
Bernardino Nozaleda.
Witnesses
Fr. Pio Pi
Account Content:
 “On the eve of the day when Dr. Rizal was put in the
chapel, that is, on December the twenty-eight, I received
the commission, which Archbishop Nozaleda entrusted to
the Jesuit Fathers for the spiritual car of the convict.”
 “Even though I myself, who had not been acquainted

personally with Rizal, did not visit him. All the Fathers who
remained with him during his stay in the chapel or who
accompanied him to Bagumbayan, the place of the
execution, went there at my request or with my
knowledge, and they kept me informed of all the
happenings…”
 Not satisfied with signing so explicit an adjuration, Rizal

himself, without pressure from anyone, took into his hands
his own document and knelt down before the altar of the
Background of
the
Critiques
Critiques
Rafael Palma
Background:
 Lawyer, writer, educator,
politician
 Author of Biografia de Rizal
 Biografia de Rizal~ a work

on the life of the National
Hero which won a literary
contest in 1938 sponsored
by the Commonwealth
government
Critiques
Austin Coates
Background:
 Former Assistant Colonial

Secretary and Magistrate in
Hong Kong (1950)
 Rizal: Philippines Nationalist

and Martyr(Oxford Dictionary
press ,1956)
 Coates analyses of Rizal’s

Retraction and other events
that happened before his
execution
Content
Analysis
 Biografia de Rizal
- a work on the life of
the National Hero which won a
literary contest in 1938
sponsored by the
Commonwealth Government.
 The publication of the book,
however, was postponed
because of World War II and
only saw print in 1949.
 The story of Rizal’s alleged

Rizal: Philippine Nationalist and
Martyr
 The first Rizal biography written

by a European since Vida y
Escritos del Dr. Jose Rizal by
Wenceslao Retana in 1907.
 The secondary edition of the
book was published in the
Philippines by La Solidaridad
Publishing House in 1992
 Coates’s analyses of Rizal’s
retraction and other events
happened before his execution
Context
Analysis
Critiques
“We must consider the weight and value of

these testimonies which to be partial and
interested. We do not ignore the respect that
is due to the sacred character of said persons:
but as Brutus said, “You are a friend, but the
truth is a greater friend.”. ”
-Rafael Palma
Critiques
Rafael Palma
Critical Analysis:
1. The document of retraction was kept secret so that no one except the
authorities
was able to see it at that time.
2. When the family of Rizal asked for the original of said document as well as a
copy of the certificate of canonical marriage with Josephine Bracken, both
petitions were denied.
3. Rizal’s burial was kept secret, the cadaver having been delivered to the
members of a Catholic association friendly to the friars instead of being
delivered to the family.
4. In spite of what Rizal meant to the Filipinos and of what his conversion
meant, no masses wee said for his soul of funeral held by the Catholics.
5. Notwithstanding that Rizal was reconciled with the church, he was not
buried in the Catholic cemetery of Paco but int the ground without any cross or
stone mark on his grave.
Critiques
“In short, Rizal’s conversion was a pious fraud to make

the people believe that the extraordinary man broke
down and succumbed before the church which he had
fought.”
“The archbishop was interested in his conversion for

political motives, and the Jesuits lent themselves as hi
instrument.”
“The example of Rizal would have great resonance in

the whole country and it was necessary to bolster the
drooping prestige of religion with his abjuration. What
if Rizal was a man of valor and convictions in his
conversion would be unbelievable? So much the
better.”
Critiques
Austin Coates
 “Certainly there was no signed letter of retraction. Rizal knew too
well the damage such a letter would do to him, besides which he
believed before God he had nothing to retract…”
 “What appears with complete certainty is that neither Pio Pi y Vidal

or any of the Jesuits of probity believed that Rizal had retracted and
died confessed. Had Vilaclara and March, who were with Rizal at
his execution, been satisfies that there had been a retraction, it is
inconceivable that they would not have given him Christian burial.”
 “The Jesuits had been entrusted by the Archbishop with the spiritual
care of the condemned man; and it was their responsibility, if they
were satisfied that he had died confessed that he had died
Critiques
Austin Coates
 “The Rizal family found it difficult to accept either the
retraction or
the marriage. They knew their brother; they knew that if he
had
retracted he would certainly have so in his 6 a.m.
communication to
his mother, knowing the consolation it would have given
her.”
 “Balaguer had in fact damaged the Church’s case. Worse

than this, he had unwittingly revealed his own fraud. In his
Contribution/
Relevance
Contribution/Relevan
ce
 In our society today, this subject is very useful since our country faces a lot of
issues.
 This lesson shows that even in the past times, people faces fake news in
order to twist their mind and turn behind their beliefs. Even the national hero
Dr. Jose Rizal faced a lot of fake news and issues.
 Through this lesson, it helps us to know the significance of critical analyses to
help if an issue is true or not.
 Through the help of content and contextual analysis, we may be able to know
the statements of the two sides that lies within an issue.

Learning
Experiences
Experiences
 Due to Mark’s absence, there was a difficulty in

making this presentation. But we did our best to
communicate with each other.
 Other sources like the internet helped us to
gather more information as we do the
presentation.
 As we do the presentation, we learned a lot
about history that makes think that history isn’t a
boring subject but a subject that helps us to
travel back through time.
References
References
 Batis- Sources in Philippine History (p.148-158)
 http://www.joserizal.ph/rt03.html
 https://kahimyang.com/kauswagan/articles/2247/did-rizal-really-retracted-all-his-
words-and-deeds-about-the-chruch-moments-before-his-execution
 http://nhcp.gov.ph/the-rizal-retraction-and-other-cases/

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The

Espiritu, Kenneth John

 As leader of the reformist movement

The following primary sources are of

 One of the Jesuit priests who

 Claimed that he managed to

 Balaguer also claimed that he

 “Certainly after discussion, Dr. Rizal was yielding to the

 He was the Jesuit Superior in

 In 1917, he issued an affidavit

 Unlike Father Balaguer, he was

 “Even though I myself, who had not been acquainted

 Not satisfied with signing so explicit an adjuration, Rizal

 Biografia de Rizal~ a work

 Former Assistant Colonial

 Rizal: Philippines Nationalist

 Coates analyses of Rizal’s

- a work on the life of

the National Hero which won a

literary contest in 1938

 The publication of the book,

however, was postponed

because of World War II and

only saw print in 1949.

 The story of Rizal’s alleged

 The first Rizal biography written

“We must consider the weight and value of

“In short, Rizal’s conversion was a pious fraud to make

“The archbishop was interested in his conversion for

“The example of Rizal would have great resonance in

 “What appears with complete certainty is that neither Pio Pi y Vidal

 “Balaguer had in fact damaged the Church’s case. Worse

Dr. Jose Rizal faced a lot of fake news and issues.

 Through this lesson, it helps us to know the significance of critical analyses to

help if an issue is true or not.

the statements of the two sides that lies within an issue.

 Due to Mark’s absence, there was a difficulty in

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