Retraction Letter of Rizal PDF

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BUAN, CALVIN JOSHUA V. GERIZ01X – COEP2016-Position Paper: Rizal’s RetractionIt has been more than a century since Dr. Jose Rizal, our national hero, died, but the argument continues whether he retracted his statements about Catholicism or not. Dr. Jose Rizal put so much effort into his published bo...

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BUAN, CALVIN JOSHUA V. 2016-200313

GERIZ01X – COEP04

Position Paper: Rizal’s Retraction

It has been more than a century since Dr. Jose Rizal, our national hero, died, but the argument continues whether he retracted his statements about Catholicism or not. Dr. Jose Rizal put so much effort into his published books and articles criticizing the misconduct of Spaniards including him being an anti-Catholic. It is hard to believe that he retracted being a mason and reembraced being a Catholic given that he dedicated his life fighting for his country.

The retraction letter was dated December 29, 1896, a day before his execution. The letter was allegedly signed by Dr. Jose Rizal and states “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 has been contrary to my character as the son of the Catholic Church”. The retraction letter raised a lot of arguments especially to the Masonic Rizalist and the Catholic Rizalist. Aside from the signed letter, there is no other strong evidence that proves Dr. Jose Rizal Retracted his statements about the Spaniards and the Catholic Church.

There are four copies of Dr. Jose Rizal’s retraction letter. The first copy was published in La Voz Espanola and Diaro de Manila on the day of his execution, December 29, 1896. The second copy appeared in Barcelona, Spain on February 14, 1897, and It came from Fr. Balaguer. The “original’ copy of Dr. Jose Rizal’s retraction letter was discovered in archdiocesan archives on May 18, 1935, after it was lost for 39 years from the day of his execution.

Fr. Balaguer said that the retraction letter might be forged, and he doesn ’t know or he cannot remember whose handwriting was it. He even sent the copy to his former superior, Fr. Pio, and was not able to verify the handwriting. No one has seen the exact copy except the publishers of La Voz Espanola. Even Dr. Jose Rizal’s family was not able to see the copy of his letter, and they were informed that it was lost.

I strongly disagree that he retracted and re-embraced his Catholicism. The given evidence was not able to support the claim. The “copies” that they presented and published have a lot of controversies. Dr. Jose Rizal fought for the independence of our country by opposing and revealing the wrongdoings of the Spaniards and the Catholic Church, and he will never go back on his words....