RETRACTION OF RIZAL

WHAT IS A RETRACTION
LETTER?
A retraction letter is a document that
withdraws, or rescinds, a previous
claim. In the world of construction and
mechanics lien rights, a retraction
letter is most often used to retract a
preliminary notice or a notice of intent
to lien.
WHAT WAS THE RETRACTION ABOUT

The letter, Dated on December 29, 1896, was said to have been signed
by the National Hero himself, Jose P. Rizal retracted because the church
would not allow his marriage to Josephine Bracken unless he retracted
his masonic affiliation.
 “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 have been contrary to my character as son of the Catholic Church. I
believe and confess whatever she teaches and I submit to whatever she demands.
I abominate Masonry, as the enemy which is of the Church, and as a Society
prohibited by the Church. The Diocesan Prelate may, as the Superior
Ecclesiastical Authority, make public this spontaneous manifestation of mine in
order to repair the scandal which my acts have caused and so that God and
people may pardon me.”

MANILA, 29 OF DECEMBER 1896 Jose Rizal – The Retraction Letter.

MAIN ISSUES CONCERNING THE
RETRACTION

• Rizal retracted his Masonic affiliation

• Rizal wrote and signed the retraction.

• Rizal’s marriage to Josephine.

TIMELINE
• 1891- Rizal arrived in HongKong to practice his medical profession
• 1892- He founded La Liga Filipina
• 1895- Rizal became acquainted with Josephine Bracken
-1896-
• Dec. 26- Rizal was accused and tried before a military tribunal for the alleged crimes of rebellion,
sedition, and legal association.
• Dec. 28- Governor General Camilo Polavieja affirmed the death sentence and set the execution of
Rizal on Dec. 30 at 7:00 in the morning.
• Dec. 29- Death sentence was read to Rizal early in the morning.
Father Saderra and Father Luis Viza visited Rizal and asked them whether some of those who had
been professors were still there in Ateneo.
Rizal had decided to retract
• Dec. 30- at 6:00 in the morning, Josephine Bracken and Jose P. Rizal was married.
Execution of Rizal
DID RIZAL RETRACT HIS MASONIC
AFFILIATION?
Rizal stated in his retraction:

I abominate Masonry, as the enemy which is of the Church, and as a Society

prohibited by the Church.
MANILA, 29 OF DECEMBER 1896 Jose Rizal – The Retraction Letter.
DID RIZAL WROTE AND SIGNED THE
RETRATION?
…” That style is as simple as mine. Don’t bother, Father, to read it all. Dictate
what I ought to profess or express, and I shall write, making in any case some
remarks.” (Rizal, 1896),

… Declaration or retraction was signed together with Dr. Rizal by Señor

Fresno, Chief of the Picket, and Señor Moure, Adjutant of the Plaza.
DID RIZAL AND JOSEPHINE GOT
MARRIED?
Father Balaguer testified he married Rizal and Josephine on
Dec. 30 at 6:00 in the morning.

After his marriage, Rizal dedicated a Catholic devotion

book, De la Imitacion de Cristo, to Josephine. The dedication
read as follows: “to my dear and unhappy wife, Josephine.”
(Garcia, 1964)
ANTI-RETRACTIONIST

After analyzing six major documents of Rizal, Ricardo Pascual

concluded that the retraction document, said to have been discovered in
1935, was not in Rizal’s handwriting.
Senator Rafael Palma, a former President of the University of the
Philippines and a prominent Mason, argued that a retraction is not in
keeping with Rizal’s character and mature beliefs. He called the
retraction story a “pious fraud”. Others who deny the retraction are Frank
Laubach, A protestant minister; Austin Coates, a British writer; and
Ricardo Manapat, director of the National Archives.
 PRO-RETRACTIONIST
A. Eyewitnesses
• Father Vicente Balaguer – First Eyewitness
• Father Sanchez visited Rizal in Dapitan and persuaded him to retract.
• Father Patells had exchanged several long letters with Rizal for the same
purpose with Father Sanchez.
• Declaration or retraction was signed together with Dr. Rizal by Señor
Fresno, Chief of the Picket, Señor Moure, Adjutant of the Plaza.
• Former Lieutenant of the infantry- Second Eyewitness
B. The Marriage of Rizal and Josephine.
The act of retraction is established because while still in Dapitan the
condition imposed on Rizal was : “ No retraction, No marriage.”

Father Balaguer, the priest who had married them testified under oath
that:
At 6:00 in the morning of Dec. 30, Josephine Bracken and one of
Rizal’s sisters, arrived crying bitterly. With the knowledge of the warden of
the Fort, I proceeded to the marriage of Rizal and Josephine.
C. The Catholic Devotion Books.
After Rizal had retracted, he read a blue pamphlet entitled, Aceptación de
la Muerte, Containing the “Acts of Faith, Hope, and Charity”. After this, he
went to confession and received Holy Communion.

D. The Priest and Crucifix

Rizal was accompanied by two Catholic priests to his execution ground.
- it is the common and usual practice for Catholics to kiss the Crucifix
before they die. Rizal did so and kissed the crucifix offered to him by the
two Catholic priest before he was shot.
E. Fr. Manuel A. Garcia : Best Evidence
in Fr. Manuel A. Garcia’s (an archdiocesan archivist way back in 1935) accounts
of events, he came across a bundle of document entitled “masoneria” In this bundle, he
came across the document of retraction which had been long lost.
Archbishop O’Doherty, despite the approval of Teodoro Kalaw (the director of the
National Library), was not satisfied with the mere document itself so he requested Prof.
H. Otlet Beyer (Prof. of Anthropology) in the University of the Philippines to study and
examine the Rizal retraction document. He examined Rizal’s supposed handwriting in the
document of retraction and compared it with 150 letters and documents that were written
in Rizal’s Handwriting.
- there is not the slightest doubt that every word on the document of retraction
was written by Jose Rizal, except for the signatures of the other witnesses. The whole
document was found to be written by Rizal in his normal handwriting.
 Dr. Jose I. del Rosario also compared this piece of document with numerous
letters of Dr. Jose Rizal. Dr. Jose I. del Rosario did not find anything in Rizal’s
retraction which does not proclaim that the retraction is in fact. He points out the
most salient individual characteristic points of identity between the handwriting of
the retraction and the undisputed handwriting of Rizal.
Important Points:
It should also be pointed out that in the first place;

Rizal did not fight the Catholic Religion; He fought those who abused that religion.

Rizal was not against the Catholic religion but was against the manner the Catholic
religion was practiced by the friars in the Philippines during his time.