Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
himself. Rizal retracted because the church would not allow his marriage to Josephine Bracken
“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 son of the Catholic Church. I believe and I 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 may have caused and so that God and people may
pardon me.”
BODY
The three main issues concerning the retraction was Rizal retracted his masonic
affiliation, Rizal wrote and signed the retraction and Rizal’s marriage to Josephine.
Since Rizal’s retraction letter was discovered by Father Manuel Garcia, C.M. in 1935, its
content has become a favorite subject of dispute among academicians and Catholics. The letter,
dated December 29, 1896, was said to have been signed by the National Hero himself
(Nombrado 2019).
The controversy whether the National Hero actually wrote a retraction document only lies
in the judgment of its reader, as no amount of proof can probably make the two opposing groups
the Masonic Rizalists (who firmly believe that Rizal did not withdraw) and the Catholic Rizalists
The reason behind this account, was the arrival of josephine bracken as he fell in love
with her, he wanted to marry this woman according to the cannon law. However, the guide of
bracken and her step father, Manuela Orlac, objected the plan of Rizal, the guide stated that Rizal
cannot do so unless he signs a profession of faith to the Catholic Church. So, this means he
would really write a retraction formula by then which would be checked by the archbishop of
Cebu. but according to Professor agustin Craig, his close friend father obach, the priest in dapitan
shared to him that Rizal realizing "late" that this retraction was the one thing that friars has been
waiting to get from him so he hurriedly reclaims the letter as obach was already set to send the
mail to the archbishop of Cebu. Within this argument, it can be concluded that some way or
another, Rizal did really retract just in order to marry Bracken by the canon law (Nombrado,
2019).
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 o’clock 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
befriended the hero during his exile in Dapitan, Rizal accepted a shorter retraction document
prepared by the superior of the Jesuit Society in the Philippines, Father Pio Pi.
Rizal then wrote his retraction after making some modifications in the document. In his
retraction, he disavowed Masonry and religious thoughts that opposed Catholic belief.“
Personally, I did not believe he retracted, but some documents that was purchased by the
Philippine government from Spain in the mid-1990s, the Cuerpo de Vigilancia de Manila,”
showed some interesting points about the retraction, said Jose Victor Torres, professor at the
It was supposed to have been signed by Jose Rizal moments before his death. There were
many witnesses, most of them Jesuits. The document only surfaced for public viewing on May
13, 1935. It was found by Fr. Manuel A. Gracia at the Catholic hierarchy’s archive in Manila.
But the original document was never shown to the public, only reproductions of it.
However, Fr. Pio Pi, a Spanish Jesuit, reported that as early as 1907, the retraction of Rizal was
copied verbatim and published in Spain, and reprinted in Manila. Fr. Gracia, who found the
original document, also copied it verbatim. In both reproductions, there were conflicting versions
of the text. Add to this the date of the signing was very clear in the original Spanish document
which Rizal supposedly signed. The date was “December 29, 1890.” (Ukhung, 2012)
CONCLUSION
It was argued that Rizal retracted in order to save his family from further persecution, to
give Josephine Bracken a legal status as his wife and to assure reforms from the Spanish
government. No, Rizal did not retract. Although there were many opinions and evidences
presented by various authors as to whether Rizal did or did not retract. Nonetheless, until now
there is no proof or any justification to end the debate. Rizal had a goal and principle. Rizal did
not fight the Catholic religion; he fought those who abused that religion and Rizal was not
against the Catholic religion but was against the manner the Catholic religion was practiced by
Surely, we must put the question of retraction to rest, though Rizal is a hero, whether he
retracted or not, we must investigate if he really did a turn-around. If he did not, and the
documents were forgeries, then somebody has to pay for trying to deceive a nation.
REFERENCES
Electronic Devices
RIZAL RETRACTION
https://www.scribd.com/presentation/409661621/RIZAL-RETRACTION-pptx
https://varsitarian.net/news/20111004/rizals_retraction_truth_vs_myth
https://puchikamalucho.wordpress.com/2012/04/08/did-jose-rizal-retract/
https://nhcp.gov.ph/the-rizal-retraction-and-other-cases/
Phil History
https://prezi.com/p/_fudy_-mzcaj/phil-history/?fallback=1
Journals
http://www.joserizal.ph/rt03.html