Chan, Rom Vincent S.

SS14/A3
Rizal Retraction Controversy

Rizal retraction controversy is not taught in elementary or high school maybe for
the reason that it can damage Rizals reputation since he was really against the catholic because
of the poor friars. Before the execution day of Rizal on December 30, 1896, the Catholic Church
claim that Rizal retracted the things that he have said against the church and the Spaniards. Some
said that Rizal contracted for the reason to marry Josephine Bracken and other say that Rizal
contracted to protect his family from the Spaniards. According to father Vincent Balaguer on this
paper that Rizal signed eleven-thirty at night, he wrote:
"I declare that I am 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 anything in my words, writings, publications and conduct that has
been contrary to my character as a child of the church. I believe and profess what it teaches, I
submit to what it demands. I abominate Masonry as the enemy that it is of the church and as a
society prohibited by the same.
"The Diocesan Prelate, as the superior ecclesiastical authority, may make this manifestation
public, I declare spontaneously, in order to repair any scandal which my acts may have caused,
and so that God and man may pardon me.

"Manila, December, 29th, 1896.

Jos Rizal

(Witnesses)
"Chief of Picket, Juan del Fresno
"Adjutant of the Plaza, Eloy Maure"

Archbishop Bernandino Nozaleda was the the one who who want Rizal to convert back
again as Catholic and show the people on the newspaper the Rizals Rectration paper. The Jesuits
was there every minute to make Rizal change his mind, the Jesuits often go two at a time.
There are several reason why people dont believe that Rizal make the retraction paper.
First the said paper that Rizal retracted was allegedly forged by the Jesuits. Second there were no
marriage certificate that Josephine and Rizal undergo a marriage. Last what is the reason for
making a retraction paper even though he will die?

First it was concluded before that Rizal sign was forge. For the reason that when the
family of Rizal ask for the original copy of the retraction, the Jesuits told the family that it was
lost. After ninety years the copy that was Rizal family was looking for was found in an archives
called archdiocesan. Ricardo Pascual Ph. D. was given the permission to examine the paper and
later made a book called Rizal Beyond the Grave from the text book the said documents was
forge.

Second one of the reason that father Vincent Balguer convince Rizal to retract is by
allowing Jose Rizal and Josephine Bracken but when they look for the marriage certificate or the
public record that may show that Rizal and Josephine really did marry, they didnt find anything.

The last reason Rizal know even make and sign the paper the church cannot do anything
to help Rizal since Rizal was accused of being the leader of the Katipunan and that is act of

rebellion and from the Spanish the act of what they think Rizal did should be punish by death
and nothing can save Rizal .

From the things I research and gather from the internet, I think Rizal didnt wrote the
retract paper and he didnt even signed it. We all know how brutal and immoral not only the
military of the Spaniard but also the priest of the Spaniards. We all know that they will do
everything to make us server them and let us suffer. Since the church has almost the same power
of a governor general before its easy for them to make things like forging Rizal signature. We
even all know how Filipino people were manipulated from the Spaniards.

Rizal fight with church for almost all his life and I think he dont care if they dont get
marry on the church since he dont believe on the teaching of the friars. He know how what is
right from wrong. Even hes favorite teacher Father Sanchez from Ateneo try to convince him to
convert Catholic again way back in Dapitan, he even rejected the offer. Now a Jesuit that he
dont even know talk to him then make a deal of marriage convince him to change his mind. Its
pretty obvious the friars before was so desperate to manipulate the mind of the Filipino people.

I think an important letter like Rizal retract cannot be or no chance of losing it. For the
reason that they can show it publicly to every Filipino especially the Katipunan since they think
Rizal was the key of the Katipunan but with the real paper they can show that Rizal was a
coward, from that they will lost a leader to idolize, they cant idolize Bonifacio since before he

didnt achieved anything. Even a marriage contract that was said to be the deal was nowhere to
be found.

Reference:
https://puchikamalucho.wordpress.com/2012/04/08/did-jose-rizal-retract/
http://joserizal.nhcp.gov.ph/Biography/man_and_martyr/chapter16.htm