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Jose Riza Ls Retraction Controversy
Jose Riza Ls Retraction Controversy
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From the very beginning, when I first had notice of what was being planned, I
opposed it, fought it, and demonstrated its absolute impossibility. This is the
fact, and witnesses to my words are now living. I was convinced that the
scheme was utterly absurd, and, what was worse, would bring great
suffering.
I did even more. When later, against my advice, the movement materialized,
of my own accord I offered not alone my good offices, but my very life, and
even my name, to be used in whatever way might seem best, toward stifling
the rebellion; for, convinced of the ills which it would bring, I considered
myself fortunate if, at any sacrifice, I could prevent such useless misfortunes.
This equally is of record. My countrymen, I have given proofs that I am one
most anxious for liberties for our country, and I am still desirous of them. But I
place as a prior condition the education of the people, that by means of
instruction and industry our country may have an individuality of its own
and make itself worthy of these liberties. I have recommended in my writings
the study of the civic virtues, without which there is no redemption. I have
written likewise (and I repeat my words) that reforms, to be beneficial, must
come from above, that those which come from below are irregularly
gained and uncertain.
Holding these ideas, I cannot do less than condemn, and I do condemn this
uprising—as absurd, savage, and plotted behind my back—which dishonors us
Filipinos and discredits those who could plead our cause. I abhor its criminal
methods and disclaim all part in it, pitying from the bottom of my heart the
unwary who have been deceived.
Return, then, to your homes, and may God pardon those who have worked
in bad faith!
José Rizal.
Fort Santiago, December 15, 1896.”
“From the testimony of Father Balaguer, Father Pi, Father Rosell, Most
Reverend Bernardo Nozaleda, Very Reverend Silvino Lopez Tñon, Reverend
Tomas Gonzalez Feijoo, Hon. Castaño, and of the Manila Daily La Voz
Española, we know that the document of Rizal’s own handwritten retraction
and profession of faith was brought from Fort Santiago to Ateneo by Father
Balaguer.”
“There it was shown to the Fathers, transcribed in a copy for the Jesuit
archives, brought to the Archbishop by Father Pi, shown to the ecclesiastical
authorities and some other prominent men of the Government and of the
Press, and carefully kept in the archdiocesan files by the secretary of the
Chancery, Father Feijoo, until 1899. When this Father returned to Spain, he
left all the archives entrusted to the new secretary, Reverend Ignacio
Ampuero.
“In April, 1935, I was appointed the archdiocesan archivist, a position which I
held until two years ago. Assuredly, the archdiocesan archives are the richest
in the Philippines.”
“In 1933, these archive s were piled up on a few selves. To look for a
document there was somewhat like trying to find a needle in a haystack. I
know that by years of personal experience. No wonder, then, that when the
controversy on Rizal’s retraction arose, it was practically and physically
impossible to find the precious document. Some attempts were made but
with no results. And freemasonry kept asking repeatedly for the document.
There was no trace of the document. But the document existed as was
claimed by a thousand and one person had seen it.
Again, back in 1935. In our new fire-proof VAULT, the muchachos and the
clerks of the Archbishop’s House and Office made a perfect mound of papers.
I began my work, the silent and patient work of an archivist. Eight big new
shelves of narra were ordered upon which the papers were to be put in order.
One paper after another began to be caressed by my hands which knew what
treasures the Church of the Philippines had in them. The pity is that even
unto today there has been no Filipino interested enough to work exhaustively
At the history of the Church in this country. In my career as an archivist,
I tried to train some seminarians, and they did well. I hope that in the future
these my pupils will give us at least one genuine historian of the Church
in the Philippines.
May 18, 1935. The tedious work continued, giving me new surprises. As other
papers passed one by one through my hands, a bundle entitled “Masoneria”
was in sight. I knew what that means – A BUNDLE OF JEWELS FOR FILIPINO
HISTORY. The retraction and other documents of so many Filipino Freemasons
and heroes who came back to the bosom of Mother church, were in my
hands. I was well acquainted with all those names; for I was a professor of
History in Manila Seminary. My whole being exulted at what I saw. I kept
them carefully. I called His Grace by Long Distance. He was in Baguio at the
time. He ordered me to see him. The next day, His Grace saw all the papers
and ordered me to keep the whole matter secret until further notice.
His Grace, Monsignor O’Doherty, and the late President Quezon were close
friends. M. Quezon had retracted Masonry in 1930. His Grace called Quezon
to his Palace; and handed to him the precious bundle of papers. “Oh, my!”
exclaimed Quezon on seeing them. “Your Grace, I think that these papers
should be should to Teodoro Kalaw.” And they agreed to call the Director
of the National Library.
But they were prudent, both of them, as leaders. They knew that Kalaw
was a Freemason of the thirty-third degree. They then called the now General
Carlos P. Romulo, who was at the time Editor of the Herald. And they called
me, precisely at noon, on June 15, 1935. Romulo and I prepared the atomic
bomb for that Saturday afternoon paper, The Herald. In two-inch letters were
the headlines: “RIZAL’S RETRACTION FOUND.”
According to Cavanna y Manso (1961),
the said documents were examined carefully
by Teodoro Kalaw, Director of the National
Library, who confirmed that they were the
missing Rizal’s documents without a doubt.
In spite of the expert opinion of Kalaw,
Archbishop O’Doherty was not satisfied.
“Of the forgeries, two must be mentioned. In 1935, thirty-nine years after
the event, what appeared to be the original letter of retraction was found
accidentally among a bundle of retraction letters by former freemasons
in the archives of the Archbishopric. The archivist who found it was
completely convinced it was genuine. So, for a brief instant, was everyone
from President Quezon downwards. The handwriting was Rizal’s, the paper
was old, and it was signed. It certainly looked, and still does, very convincing.
There are two possibilities, and only two, about this document, still
kept at the Archbishopric. Either it is entirely forged, or else it is the
draft formula submitted to the Bishop of Cebu in 1895, with forged
place, date and signature added. In either case the most probable
originator of it is Roman Roque, who forged the signature of the
revolutionary general Lacuna on the document which led to
Aguinaldo’s capture by the Americans in 1901. In August 1901 Roque
disclosed that earlier in the year he was employed by the friars to
make several copies of a retraction letter. If this is one of them, this
would date it early 1901.Whichever it is, forged complete or in part,
the place, date and signature cannot be accepted as authentic.”
In Dr. Jose Rizal Beyond the Grave (1935),
Ricardo Roque Pascual pointed out the
psychological and philosophical aspects
of Rizal’s conversion.
Pascual (1935: 86-87) lamented that Rizal’s
conversion was not similar to the conversion
to Christianity of Augustine and Paul,
who found a life-ideal.
“Life is very short, and the happiest (life) is very much full of bitterness, that
in truth, it is not worth the pain of sacrificing a conviction for pieces of metal,
rounded (money) or in the form of a cross (!).”
Pascual (1935: 87-88) quoted Rizal’s farewell
address to his countrymen he wrote in 1892:
What matters death, if one dies for what one loves, for native land and those
dear to one?
. . . Always have I loved our unhappy land, and I am sure I shall continue
loving it until my last moment, in case men prove unjust to me. Life, career,
happiness I am ready to sacrifice for it (country).”
Pascual (1935: 96) argued that Rizal’s conversion
was analogous to the “conversion” of Galileo,
Voltaire, Thomas Paine, Ingersoll who were
forced to recant their anti-Catholic beliefs.
Rizal did not die for such life principle and ideal.
Pascual (1935: 101) concluded that Rizal’s
conversion was improbable.
“Considered psychologically, therefore, Rizal's conversion as reported by the
Jesuits was beyond probability. How could it be actual then? Only the words
of the priests, priests of the Catholic Church as they are, and Catholic Church
that has a vital interest at stake in the matter, tell us of this retraction. But the
evidence tells quite a different story altogether! Shall we close our eyes,
throw away evidence, make the sign of the cross and prayerfully murmur,
"Jesus-Maria-Jose, nevertheless, do not believe the evidence of your senses
nor reason but only have faith?" Indeed, "unless you be like one of these little
children, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven." All childishness leads to
heaven!”
To Pascual (1935: 104), the retraction was
not a genuine conversion.
Rizal knew that death was now inevitable and accepted it as the destiny he
was born to fulfill. Knowing he would die, his only concern was to safeguard
those he was leaving behind: his family and the woman he loved. He was a
deeply religious man, as well as a supremely rational one, and his
religiousness is patent in all his writings and acts. Rizal was not only scientist
and rationalist, he was equally —if not above these two things— poet and
mystic. Moreover, he was consistent: he retracted to the Jesuits, whom he
loved and whose moral rectitude he believed in. By retracting, he would
protect his family from further persecution from the religious establishment,
and by marrying Josephine he would raise her status in the eyes of his family
and assure that they would all open their arms to her and protect her after
his death.”
“Finally, as a man facing death, the Jesuits were his only palpable source of
support and comfort in those last hours, since his family could not accompany
him. His self-perceptions of smallness and insignificance were ontologically
correct as well. He would die, but he was only one among over six million,
and what he had done, he knew, the rest of his countrymen were perfectly
able to replicate, each in his or her own way — this was his final legacy and
message. If one insignificant man could achieve what he had done, then what
were we incapable of achieving? Nothing would be beyond our powers to
change.”
Wenceslao Emilio Retana y Gamboa (September 28, 1862 – January 21, 1924)
In “Fr. Vicente Balaguer, S.J. and Rizal's
Conversion” (1994), Jesuit Father Jose S. Arcilla
quoted Father Vicente Balaguer’s letter to
Father Pio Pi narrating how he persuaded
Jose Rizal to sign the retraction letter to
denounce his masonic affiliation and return to
the Catholic Church.
“For some month previously I had been in contact with Dr. Rizal since
I was the missionary pastor in Dapitan where he had been exiled. Following
instructions I had received from Superiors, I tried to treat him with the
greatest respect and affection, to which he reciprocated with affection
and confidence in me. He boarded the boat for Manila in September 1896
to proceed to Cuba as a medical officer. I went to Manila in December
when Rizal, back from Spain, was in prison and sentenced to death. When he
summoned the Jesuit Fathers (this is clear and cannot be denied), he received
them with affability. He asked if any of his former teachers were around.
Only Fr. [Jose] Vilaclara, they told him, and that providentially I had arrived.
Since he had known me as his pastor and friend, he had me summoned.
This is why I went there and was involved in these incidents. Neither Retana
nor his co-religionists can deny this.
He received me with open arms. Since I liked him very much, I was ready
to do whatever I could with divine grace to save his soul. I was aware of his
story, but not exactly where he had erred. I can affirm that in the few
moments before we started discussing his ideas, he asked to make his
confession. I understand that if I had acceded to his request, he would have
confessed just as he had often done many times in his youth. But I had to
remind him that I believed he was not properly disposed to receive
the sacraments of the Church; that we had to talk first about his ideas
and errors which, if he held on to them, he ought to retract.”
In the letter, Father Balaguer noted that Rizal
was a apparently a Protestant.
“He then began to talk respectfully of God, of the Sacred Heart, of Holy
Scripture; that he was praying and asking God to let him know His will
in order to carry it out. But since any Protestant could say this, I urged him,
despite his desire to confess, to tell me his rule of Faith. Only Holy Scripture,
he told me. In this, he was apparently a Protestant.
I then told him I was surprised that a man as talented as he was should
appeal to a norm so false and so baseless. With a simple observation,
I made him admit the inconsistency of the Protestant rule of Faith.”
Father Balaguer confirmed that Rizal was indeed
a rationalist.
“I pressed him further to tell me his basis for religion and philosophy.
As though forced by the power of logical thinking, he admitted to me his only
criterion was reason which God had given as his all-embracing guide.
He was indeed a rationalist.
"We are not talking of abdicating rational norms," I told him, "but of
cauterizing reason, since it is very weak and deficient in service of the Faith
which is divine and infallible. Reason is not lessened but exalted, raised to
the supernatural order." He kept telling me he could not [bring himself to]
believe. I answered faith is a divine grace, obtained through prayer. Moved,
he then answered, "I promise, Father, that I will ask God to enlighten me
and give me the grace of faith.”
Father Balaguer reminded Rizal that he could
not longer receive the sacraments without
signing a retraction.
“He backed off and there was no longer any discussion ... for he clearly
saw he no longer professed the Catholic faith. We agreed he could not receive
the sacraments without signing a retraction and making a profession of the
orthodox faith. He stopped, awaited the formula offered by the Prelate.”
Father Balaguer reported that Rizal declined
to sign the formula offered by the Prelate.
“This did not arrive until ten o'clock at night. Since he was impatient,
I had no time even to read it before showing it to him. I read it,
he agreed with it, but noting its length, said he could not sign it,
for from its language arid style no one would believe it was his.
He had already said during the height of our discussion, "Look, Father,
I speak on good faith. If I were to consent to what Your Reverence suggests,
I would be a hypocrite and offend God."
Father Balaguer offered Rizal a shorter second
formula.
“In the face of the difficulty blocking his signing the formula, I said, “I have
brought with me another, briefer and more simple.” I began to read it to him,
and he said, “You wrote it, please continue to read.”
It must be noted that while awaiting the arrival of the first formula, Rizal was
already set on signing a retraction and make a profession of faith, which he
began to write. But I had to ask him to wait, since he had to accept the
proposal from Church authority. He followed spontaneously without in any
was suggesting it while I was reading the second formula, and he even added
a few phrases which made it more precise and explicit.”
Father Balaguer underscored how Rizal pushed
back when asked to abhor Masonry.
“Only on reaching [the part on] abhorring Masonry which that morning
he in no way had admitted did he object against signing these words:
‘I abhor Masonry as a society condemned by the Church.’ He gave as his
reason that the Masons in London with whom he had had contact and whom
he had joined, were good persons, and had said nothing against religion,
unlike other Masons whom he had known and were very bad; that he did not
think it good to affirm that of all in general, lest those gentlemen in London
take offense.”
Father Balaguer mentioned that Rizal requested
to state it differently.
This is the pure truth, the entire truth of what happened to Rizal. He rested
afterwards, sleeping peacefully, as though nothing unusual had happened,
to everyone's surprise.”
Dr. Augusto De Viana, head of the Department
of History at the University of Santo Tomas,
believed that Rizal retracted (Varsitarian,
4 October 2011).
“The National Hero just renounced Free Masonry and not his famous
nationalistic works.”
Historian Ambeth Ocampo dismissed
the retraction controversy as a non-issue
(Facebook post, 30 December 2020).
“Rizal retracted religious errors, the document does not, in any way, erase
the impact of his life, his novels, essays, and poetry on our history. …