Retraction of Rizal
Everyone is being asked to give their
fair share in accordance to the contribution in our country. But during Rizal’s
time, it was chaotic. Most people do not realize their entitlement instead they
tend to be compliant of the current situation and be deprived of those rights which
was later appraised by Rizal through his works and, also, his compelling
nature. By means of his writings, he captivated the hearts of many.
Rizal’s life had a huge impact in the
Philippine history. It inspires the people to fight and seek for what is right.
His life and works are too powerful that it continued to move us even beyond
his death. Up until this moment, issues about his life lingers in our society. Heated
debates are still emergent. Did he really retract?
It is said that the first draft of
retraction was sent by Archbishop
Bernardino Nozaleda to Rizal when he was jailed in Fort Santiago but he
rejected it due to its unusual length. The controversial document of
Rizal’s retraction was first published in La Voz
Española and Diaro de Manila on Dec. 30, 1896. The second text was published
in La Juventud on Feb. 14, 1897 which came from an unidentified persona which
later, after 14 years, revealed himself as Fr. Balaguer. He claimed that Rizal
accepted a shorter retraction document prepared by his former superior, Fr. Pio
Pi. However, given the copies of “Rizal’s Retraction”, the original document
was filed missing and was found only 39 years after in the Archdiocesan
archives.
These
physical proofs seem plausible but a statement of Fr. Balaguer induced a big
hole in the evidences. In one of his letters to Fr. Pio in 1910, it is stated
that he had received “an exact copy of the retraction written and signed by
Rizal. The handwriting of this copy I don’t know nor
do I remember whose it is. . .”; "I even suspect that it might have been
written by Rizal himself. I am sending it to you that you may . . . verify
whether it might be of Rizal himself". Despite the claims that he was a
witness that Rizal signed the retraction document, it is vividly stated that
he, himself, was not sure of the veracity of the said deed. In a spy report, it
is stated that “ at 11:00-12:00 noon- Rizal talks on "various topics"
in a long conversation with Fr. Vilaclara who will later conclude (with Fr.
Balaguer, who is not allowed to enter the death cell) that Rizal is either
to Prostestant or rationalist who speaks in "a very cold and calculated
manner" with a mixture of a "strange piety." No debate or
discussion on religion is recorded to have taken place between the Fathers
mentioned”. These inconsistencies lead for people to conclude that
the document might have been forged, or, if it were justified as true, he was
forced to signed due to its beneficial accord.
POSSIBLE REASONS FOR RETRACTION
Rizal might have retracted due to the
following reasons:
- Remembering the fate encountered by those who
helped him in his advocacy, he hoped that through this, his family and district
will be withhold from further oppression of Spaniards.
- He loved Josephine Bracken so much and respected
her religion that he wanted to properly wed her, in front of God, and obtain a
legal status as his wife.
- He wanted to secure reforms from the Spanish
government.
- He wanted to patch the wounds he had inflicted
on the Church. Since the very beginning, his goal is not to defame the Church
but to remove the friar control and the sovereignty of Spaniards which became
the root of the ruined status of the Church and the country.
Though these could be probable reasons
why Rizal retracted, many believed that he did not. There is no marriage
certificate issued of Rizal and Josephine’s marriage and in his last work that
was written the night before his execution, mi ultimo adios, it stated “adios,
dulce extrangera, mi amiga, mi alegria” which means “Farewell to thee, too,
sweet friend that lightened my way”, Josephine was not referred as his “wife”.https://www.fabulousphilippines.com/mi-ultimo-adios-jose-rizal.html
In Addition to this, logically, if he
did retract, he should’ve experienced Catholic traditions or practices. For
example, proper burial of Rizal should’ve been imposed but instead he wasn’t
even buried in a cemetery, in Paco, which is under the jurisdiction of the
Church.
In my perspective, given the proofs
and assumptions above, Rizal did not go back on being a Roman Catholic. Regardless
if Rizal retracted or not, it is a fact that he is a hero worthy of love, respect
and admiration. Even if Rizal retracted, this does not slander him from being a
hero instead this shows an act of bravery for facing his mistakes and
correcting it. He is courageous. This also do not make him less mighty for he is
one of those who stand firmly fighting for the people and his country.
Everyone that is living in this
country is considered as a part of it. Remember that studies regarding our
history are important as we could trace back the events that the time itself depraved
us from. Active conversations regarding these are important for it nourishes
our insights, and as well as others, regarding the topic.
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