Preliminary Examination

First Semester, S. Y. 2021-2022

GEC004- Readings in Philippine History

Prepared by:
Shayne Antonette L. Matic

NAME: CRISTOBAL RYANA ROSEB.

SECTION: BS-ARCHITECTURE 3

Retraction of Rizal

Dr. Jose P. Rizal died on December 30, 1896, more than a century ago, with his works flying the
flag of independence against the Spanish colonizers. However, there are plenty of debate
surrounding the Philippine National Hero's claimed rejection of masonry and conversion to
Catholicism. Rizal is reported to have signed the document, which has a date of December 29,
1896. The letter addressed: “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 Church.” The
retraction has sparked debate and criticism among academics and historians, particularly between
the Masonic Rizalists and the Catholic Rizalists.

The initial draft of the retraction was sent to Rizal's cell in Fort Santiago by Archbishop
Bernardino Nozaleda the night before he was executed in Bagumbayan, according to most
history books. However, the proposal was reportedly rejected by Rizal because to its length.
Rizal accepted a shorter retraction document produced by the superior of the Jesuit Society in the
Philippines, Father Pio Pi, according to testimony by Father Vicente Balaguer, a Jesuit
missionary who befriended the hero during his exile in Dapitan. After making a few changes to
the document, Rizal drafted his retraction. He disavowed Masonry and religious ideas that were
opposed to Catholic religion in his retraction.
Jose Victor Torres, a professor at De La Salle University's History Department, presented some
important points about the retraction he said “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,”. The Cuerpo de Vigilancia de Manila, often known as the
Katipunan and Rizal Papers, is a collection of documents about the Philippine revolutions that
includes confidential reports, transcripts, clippings, and images from Spanish and Philippine
newspapers. Despite this, Torres stated that even if the rumors were accurate, his opinion of the
Filipino martyr would not change.
“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.”
Torres later clarified that the debate is no longer relevant.
“The way Rizal is taught in schools today, the retraction means nothing,” he said.