History Report

Dr. Jose Rizal was sentenced to death matapos siyang masangkot bilang leader ng isang revolution. So,
the night before his death, accounts exists that says Rizal allegedly retracted his masonic ideals and
writings at bumalik na sa Catholicism na kung saan kinumbinsi siya ng mga Jesuit priests na gawin yon.
Yung family and friends ni Rizal, may pagdududa tungkol dito pero later on, may nahanap na documents
with Rizal’s signature. Hanggang ngayon, mostly ito pa din yung topic sa mga debates.
There are 2 witness on Rizal’s retraction.
First is Fr. Vicente Balaguer.
 He claimed that he persuaded Rizal to retract and siya din nag-officiate ng kasal nila ni Josephine
Bracken.
 When Fr. Balaguer and Fr. Vilaclara went to his cell, rizal welcomed them with warm affection.
Kung sakaling magkakaroon ng conversion, bago ialay yung sacraments kay rizal, kailangan niya
una magretract muna at magbalik loob sa catholicism. Dahil dito, the Father Superior went to
the Archbishop at nabasa ng archbishop yon and declared it as sufficient, however, he would
order another more extensive one.
 Fr. Balaguer, knows history and knows the errors contained in Rizal’s books, he asked Rizal’s
ideas on Religion. He came to say more or less of the word of God. Fr. Balaguer tried to make
Rizal see how false it was. Rizal admitted that he is a rationalist freethinker. But Fr. Balaguer
pointed out na makatwiran ka pero walang katotohanan naman ang kinakatwiran and he tried
to attack Rizal with the catholic truth, pero may sagot si Rizal which is hindi niya daw gagaguhin
sarili niya.
 After that, he went back to the palace and reported about Rizal. So pagbalik niya sa Fort
Santiago, nakita niyang naiinip na si Rizal at nagpupumilit na hingin yung formula ng retraction.
Rizal asked Fr. Balaguer to read it pero nung nasa 1 st paragraph, pinatigil ni Rizal si Fr. Balaguer
dahil yung formula daw ay iba compared sa style niya which means hindi niya kaya pirmahan
yon. Dahil don, nilabas niya yung kay Father Pio Pi na formula and Rizal said that Father Pio Pi’s
style is same as his so he did’nt bother to dictate all of the formula. The retraction was dated
December 29. The retraction was signed together with Rizal by Senor Fresno and Senor Moure.
 Before Rizal reached Bagumbayan, he handed the documents to Father Pio and it was brought
to the Palace.
Fr. Pio Pi
-he was the jesuit superior of the philippines when rizal was executed. Unlike fr. Balaguer, involved lang
siya sa retraction document of rizal.
 He received the commission from the Archbishop about the spiritual care of rizal. He accepted it
eagerly not because it came from the archbishop but it is with reconciliated with God and the
church. He is not acquainted with Rizal so he did not visit him at all or stayed with him all the
way to Bagumbayan but he is updated with all the happenings. Hindi sila gaano nahirapan sa
pagpersuade kay Rizal na magretract sa tulong ng mahabang discussion with Fr. Balaguer. He
even said na parang siya pa yung Rizal version ng ibang panahon.
 Nagkaroon ng konting objections si Rizal about sa retraction na naipasa sa archbishop but he was
pleased with Father Pio’s shorter retraction but he added a some modifications which shows
evidence that he agreed with it. It was signed by the witnesses and rizal clearly recited his
retraction inside the chapel.