The Rizal Retraction

Question 1

He was one of the Jesuit priests who visited Rizal during his last hours. He claimed that he managed to persuade Rizal to denounce Masonry.

He also claimed to solemnify Rizal and Josephine Bracken’s marriage

Answer 1

Fr. Vicente Balaguer

Question 2

Who was the other priest that accompanied Balaguer?

Answer 2

Fr. Vilaclara

Question 3

Who sent the priests to Rizal to get a retraction of Rizal’s errors?

Answer 3

Archbishop Bernardino Nozaleda

Question 4

This priest composed Rizal’s profession of faith and retraction formula

Answer 4

Fr. Pio PI

Question 5

What did Rizal and Balaguer discuss?

Answer 5

Fr. Balaguer had asked Rizal to give an explanation of his ideas on religion. Rizal said more or less that his rule of faith was the word of god contained in the sacred scripture.

Rizal declared himself openly a ‘rationalist freethinker, unwell to admit any other criterion of the truth than individual reason’

Fr. Balaguer stated that there is absurdity in rationalism and that the lack of instruction of the immense majority of humankind and how it would lead to damnation for there was no salvation outside of the Catholic Church

Question 6

According to Balaguer, what did Rizal do the night before his execution?

Answer 6

He copied Fr. Pi’s retraction formula and knelt at the altar in the chapel cell to read his retraction.

Question 7

He was the Jesuit Superior in the Philippines during Rizal’s execution. He was only involved in securing the retraction document from the Archbishop, and writing a shorter version of it.

Answer 7

Fr. Pio Pi

Question 8

A lawyer, writer, educator, and politician. He authored the Biografia de Rizal

Answer 8

Rafael Palma

Question 9

Translated to the “Pride of the Malay Race”. Publication of the book was postponed because of World War II and only saw print in 1949.

Answer 9

Biografia de Rizal

Question 10

The story of Rizal’s alleged retraction is found in these chapters

Answer 10

Chapters 32 and 33

Question 11

According to Palma, his testimony about the retraction was the one considered impartial. However, his retraction was made based from what he heard the priests say.

Answer 11

Taviel de Andrade

Question 12

7 stands by Rafael about the coetaneous acts performed by the ecclesiastical authorities demonstrate that Rizal was not reconciled with the Catholic Church:

Answer 12

1. The document of retraction was kept secret
2. When the family of Rizal asked for the original copy and a copy of Rizal’s retraction and also a copy of the certificate of canonical marriage with Josephine Bracken, they were denied
3. Rizal’s burial was kept secret
4. No masses were held for Rizal or any Catholic funeral practices
5. Jose Rizal was not buried in the Catholic cemetery of Paco; he was buried in the ground without a cross or grave
6. Jose Rizal was considered among persons who died impenitent. He also did not receive spiritual aid.
7. There was no moral motive for Jose Rizal’s conversion

Question 13

What did Palma conclude?

Answer 13

Rizal’s conversion was a pious fraud to make the people believe that that extraordinary man broke down and succumbed before the church which he had fought.

The archbishop was interested by this because for political motives and the Jesuits lent themslves as his instrument

Question 14

His interest in Rizal began when he was a Assistant Colonial Secretary and Magistrate in Hong Kong in 1950.

Answer 14

Austin Coates

Question 15

The second Rizal biography written by a European (Coates)

Answer 15

Rizal: Philippine Nationalist and Martyr

Question 16

Coates’ Main Critical Points:

Answer 16

• Coates states that, while it was a fraud, suggesting that higher church authorities were knowingly involved in a plot is unlikely due to the nature of the society within the church.
• He claims that such deceptions are usually the work of individuals with their own agendas and that if the church unknowingly accepts it, they must protect the wrongdoer (Balaguer).

Question 17

What was Balaguer’s mistake?

Answer 17

His account excluded any mention of Rizal’s poem “Ultimo Adios,” and he incorrectly concluded that no poem was written on the night of the 29th, failing to recognize that he was not present in Fort Santiago at the important time, and therefore had no knowledge of what happened.

Balaguer’s account was so detailed that Rizal had no time to write the lengthy Ultimo Adios. A quick glance at the poem reveals that it would have taken many hours to write.

Question 18

What effect did the lack of a signed retraction letter have on Rizal’s family and the Jesuits’ perceptions of his death?

Answer 18

The fact that there was no signed retraction letter made it difficult for Rizal’s family to accept the idea of his retraction or marriage, as they knew it was out of character for him. They believed that if he had truly retracted, he would have communicated this to his mother early in the morning (6 a.m.) for her comfort. Additionally, the Jesuits, who were responsible for Rizal’s spiritual care, did not believe in the retraction, which is why he was not given a Christian burial. If they had believed in a retraction, they would have ensured he received a Christian burial.