BSA-101
STI College
A Position Paper about Rizal’s Retraction
Introduction
The argument over whether our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, has truly reversed what he has
written and published in opposition to the Catholic Church continues to this day. This has been
the most contentious issue in our country's history, and it continues to be so now. Dr. Jose Rizal
is known for the brave writings he wrote against the Spaniards during the Spanish colonialism.
He battled for independence in a quiet but effective way through his writing, utilizing his
published works to enlighten the minds of Filipinos to the Spanish government's malign
intentions for our nation. This is how he became our national hero, but what if our national hero
repudiated everything he had ever said or written in the final moments of his life? The issue
surrounding Dr. Jose Rizal's dying moments is the subject of this position paper. Whether or not
he actually repudiated anything he said or wrote about the Catholic Church. This paper will also
discuss the background behind said conspiracies.
Sides / Evidence
Father Manuel A. Garcia discovered a letter in 1935. Dr. Jose Rizal declared himself a Catholic
in the letter, and he retracted all he had said, written, published, or done against the Catholic
Church. The document was first made available to the public on May 13, 1935, however only
replicas of the document were exhibited; the actual document was never disclosed to the public.
However, according to Father Pio Pi, a Spanish Jesuit, the Rizal retraction was duplicated and
published in Spain and Manila as early as 1907. The original document was discovered by Father
Manuel A. Garcia, who also duplicated it.
In each version of the original papers, there were contradictory texts. On one copy of the original
paper, the date signed was shown as December 29th, 1890. Later, in another "reportedly"
original paper discovered, which was dated December 29th, 1890, which was signed on
December 29th, 1986. According to Father Balaguer's account of the debate, Rizal composed and
signed the paper in front of him and other Jesuit priests present in his cell on December 29, 1896,
and then requested the priests who held his confessions for a confession twice and a holy rosary.
Another interesting factor that adds to the controversy is that on the eve of his execution, he
wrote a poem titled "My Last Farewell," in which he wrote "I'll go where there are no slaves,
tyrants, or hangmen, where faith does not kill, and where God alone does rein." He also wrote
"Bury me in the ground, place a stone, and a crossover it." in another letter, My first and last
names, as well as the dates of my birth and death. There's nothing else. You are free to install a
fence around my graveyard at a later date. There are no anniversaries this year. I like Paang
Bondok." After his death, Jose Rizal requested a stone tablet with a crucifix placed above his
grave. This says that Dr. Jose Rizal was a catholic who died and was buried inside the sacred
grounds of the Paco Cemetery.
The Stand
Positive. Because of the allegations made against Dr. Jose Rizal, the controversy surrounding his
death is a particularly sensitive subject. Some believe that his autographs were faked, claiming
that Dr. Jose Rizal would never retract his own life's work. If he retracts, all of his written and
published articles will be become useless. Others claim that he did, retract in his last moments.
Rizal can retracted all he stated regarding the Catholic Church. Why? Because many people
think that in his dying moments, Dr. Jose Rizal surrendered to his fear of God and want to look
forward to anything after death.
Negative. But in my insights i did not believe that Jose Rizal was retracted. As a fellow Filipino
citizen, I was convinced that Dr. Jose Rizal had not retracted his own works and publications. I
am quite certain our National Hero has expressed his convictions in his writings during his
difficult path that resulted to our freedom.
Final. Let us say that retraction is really true, it may be the reason that I see that Jose rizal did
the retraction to give himself one last time, if we look at the life of Jose Rizal during his younger
days his personal interest and happiness were exchanged for the sake of our country. I do not
believe he retracted his statement. If this authentication letter is considered a significant
document, why did it slip at the time and appear 39 years later? Rizal struggled for his values for
many years and through a great deal of suffering simply to complete his writings and
publications. But nevertheless we can consider Jose rizal as one of the glorious became a hero so
whether he retracted or not it would really not affect of what he contribute to our Philippine
History.
