Scribd
Upload
3K views

The Rizal Retraction Historical Context Dr. Jose Rizal Was Arrested, Tried, and

The document discusses Jose Rizal's alleged retraction of his writings and conversion to Catholicism before his execution. There are two accounts from Jesuit priests claiming Rizal recanted, but two scholars doubt the veracity of the retraction. Rafael Palma argues the retraction was a "pious fraud" to bolster the Church's prestige, while the Jesuits used Rizal's conversion for political motives regardless of his true convictions. Austin Coates believes Rizal doubted any fraud and the archbishop was likely behind coercing the retraction.

Uploaded by

Divina Gracia Vibal Cielo
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
3K views

The Rizal Retraction Historical Context Dr. Jose Rizal Was Arrested, Tried, and

The document discusses Jose Rizal's alleged retraction of his writings and conversion to Catholicism before his execution. There are two accounts from Jesuit priests claiming Rizal recanted, but two scholars doubt the veracity of the retraction. Rafael Palma argues the retraction was a "pious fraud" to bolster the Church's prestige, while the Jesuits used Rizal's conversion for political motives regardless of his true convictions. Austin Coates believes Rizal doubted any fraud and the archbishop was likely behind coercing the retraction.

Uploaded by

Divina Gracia Vibal Cielo
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 1

The Rizal Retraction securing the retraction document from

the Archbishop of Manila Bernardino


Historical context
Nozaleda, and writing another shorter
 Dr. Jose Rizal was arrested, tried, and retraction document as well which was
sentenced to death by a Spanish court- the one Rizal allegedly copied.
martial after being implicated as a
Rafael Palma’s Critical Analysis
leader of the Philippine Revolution.
 “Rizal’s conversion was a pious fraud to
 At the Luneta on December 30, 1896, make the people believe that the
accounts exist that Rizal allegedly extraordinary man broke down and
retracted his Masonic ideals and his succumbed before the Church which he
writings and reconverted to Catholicism had fought. The Archbishop was
following several hours of persuasion by interested in his conversion for political
Jesuit priests. motives, and the Jesuits lent themselves
as his instrument. The example of Rizal
The following primary sources are of two kinds:
would have great resonance in the
the first two are the official accounts as
whole country and it was necessary to
witnessed by the Jesuits who were
bolster the drooping prestige of religion
instrumental in the alleged retraction of Rizal.
with his abjuration. What if Rizal was a
The other two are critical analyses by two
man of valor and convictions and his
Rizalist scholars who doubted the story of
conversion would be unbelievable? So
retraction.
much the better. The interest of religion
Fr. Vicente Balaguer’s Statement was above him. His aureole of glory had
to be done away with if necessary.
 Fr. Vicente Balaguer was one of the What did it matter? He was only an
Jesuit priests who visited Rizal during indio.”
his last hours in Fort Santiago and
claimed that he managed to persuade Austin Coates’ Critical Analysis
Rizal to denounce Masonry and return • “Rizal believed that there was a strong
to the Catholic fold. In an affidavit likelihood of fraud, and that the prime
executed in 1917 when he had returned mover in this world would be the friar
to Spain, Balaguer also claimed that he archbishop.”
was the one who solemnized the
marriage of Josephine Bracken and Rizal • “Balaguer had the intelligence to
hours before the hero’s execution. perceive that everything depended on
the speed and audacity with which he
Fr. Pio Pi’s statement declared his success.”
 Fr. Pio Pi was the Jesuit Superior in the • “Balaguer had in fact damaged the
Philippines during the time when Rizal Church’s case. Worse than this, he had
was executed. In 1917, he issued the unwittingly revealed his own fraud. In
affidavit recounting his involvement in his account he made no mention of the
the alleged retraction of Rizal. Unlike Fr. Ultimo Adios.”
Balaguer, he was involved only in

You might also like