Riz_Ch.

10: FIRST HOMECOMING (1887-1888)

10.0. Decided to return to The Philippines (RP) despite warning from Paciano and friends
10.1. Reasons: (1) to operate Mom’s eyes; (2) to serve his people; (3) to find out how the
Noli and his other writings were affecting the Filipinos and Spaniards; (3) to inquire why
Leonor Rivera remained silent
10.2. Trip to Manila: boarded steamer Djemnah July 3, 1887; acted as interpreter for his
companions (4 English, 2 Germans, 3 Chinese, 2 Japanese, 1 Filipino, many Frenchmen);
Saigon, July 30, transferred to steamer Haiphong
10.3. Arrived at Manila (Aug. 5); family in good health; established medical clinic in
Calamba; “Doctor Uliman” coz from Germany; gratis for the poor; opened gymnasium
for young folks to discourage cockfights and gambling; Leonor’s mother did not like him
for a son-in-law
10.4. Storm over the Noli: received a letter from Gov. Gen. Emilio Terrero (1885-88) to
come to Malacañan Palace… over subversive ideas in the Noli; asked for a copy; visited
the Jesuits Fr. Sanchez, Fr Bech & Fr Federico Faura, “everything in it was the truth; you
may lose your head for it”; Gov. Gen. assigned a bodyguard of Rizal, Spanish lieutenant
Don Jose Taviel de Andrade; Terrero found nothing wrong with the Noli; Archbishop of
Manila, Pedro Payo, OP (with UST friars) condemned the Noli as “heretical, impious,
and scandalous in the religious order, and anti-patriotic, subversive of public-order,
injurious to Spain…” Gov. unsatisfied, sent it to the Permanent Commission of
Censorship under Fr. Salvador Font, Augustinian cura of Tondo – found it subversive
against the Church and Spain; banning of the Noli only served to make it popular
10.5. Attackers of the Noli: led by Fr. Jose Rodriguez, another Augustinian, published 8
pamphlets and people were forced to buy to please the friars; also attacked in the Spanish
Cortes
10.6. Defended by Filipino Reformists and Jesuit Fr. Sanchez and Filipino priest-scholar
of Manila Cathedral Fr. Vicente Garcia (as Justo Desiderio Magalang): (1) not “ignorant
man” coz Rizal is an honor graduate of Spanish universities; (2) does not attack Church
and Spain but the bad Spanish officials and bad & corrupt friars; (3) Fr. Rodriguez also
committed mortal sin coz he read the Noli
10.7. Beautiful friendship with Andrade: “Rizal was refined, educated and gentlemanly”
10.8. Calamba’s Agrarian Trouble: unfair practices by Dominicans
10.9. Farewell to Calamba: Gov. Gen. Terrero advised him to leave the Philippines for
his own good to escape the fury of the Friars’ wrath
10.10. Wrote a poem “Himno al Trabajo” in commemoration of Lipa’s elevation to a
villa (city) by virtue of the BecerraLaw of 1888