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Articles About Rizal
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1) Rizal Sired Hitler
By: Ambeth R. Ocampo
Philippines Daily Inquirer
Lifestyle (C3)
Monday, June 19, 1995
EVERYWHERE I lecture on Rizal, one question never fail to arise in the open forum—"Is it
true that Adolf Hitler is the son of Rizal?

This is absolutely absurd, but since some fairly educated people actually want to believe it, I
write this column.The argument is that Rizal had a German connection, he studied in
Heildelberg, and being the Pinoy Don Juan he probably sired a son (why not a Daughter?)
who later turned out to Adolf Hitler. Hitler was born 1889, and Rizal left Germany in 1887.
Unless Hitler was a delayed baby, that is highly improbable.

Although there is no resemblance between the two, it is argued that unlike the tall, blond
and blue-eyed Germans, Hitler wanted to propagate into the "master race,’ Hitler himself
was small of stature had dark hair and dark eyes. I would counter this argument by
explaining that, contrary to popular belief, Hitler was Austrian not a German.

But then Rizal visited in Austria in May 1887 and according to Rizal’s traveling companion,
Max Viola, he did spend a night with an unknown Austrian woman. Viola remembers that
they were billeted in the Hotel Metropole, Vienna and Rizal "…encountered the figure of a
temptress in the form of Viennese woman, of the family of the Camelliasor Margarite of
extraordinary beauty and irresistible attraction, who seemingly had been expressly invited
to offer for a moment the cup of mundane pleasure to the apostle of the Philippine freedom
who until the had enjoyed among his intimates the fame worthy of his glorious namesake,
St. Joseph. With the exception of this case I knew of no other slip of Rizal during more than
six months of our living together."

Amazing, what yarns can be pulled off a one-night stand with a Viennese prostitute.

2) Rizal beyond the image

By Ambeth Ocampo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 01:48:00 01/09/2009

Filed Under: history, Personalities, Books, Anniversaries

Rizal Day came and went as usual without much fuss, except in Rizal Park, where Senate
President Juan Ponce Enrile presided over the ceremonies. But then, of course, the President
was in La Union yet again for Rizal Day. Everyone is swept up by Christmas and New Year to
notice.
I missed writing yet another front-page article for Rizal Day because I was, believe it or not,
in a place that had no Internet connection. There are people who think we should wear long
faces and commemorate Dec. 30 with somber thoughts of death, martyrdom and “Ultimo
Adios.” I would rather that people read Rizal’s novels and discuss them instead of repeating
stock phrases and praises that have numbed our youth. Better yet, try and read Rizal’s other
writings, those that were not forced on you in school.

If you know a bit about Rizal, have some idea about his life and the plots of his novels, it
would be fruitful to browse though the little-known volumes in the 25-volume complete
compilation of Rizal’s writings. My favorite volumes in the series are: “Rizal’s Prose” (Vol. III
Book 2 of the “Writings of Jose Rizal” series published by the Jose Rizal National Centennial
Commission in 1962, which has been frequently reprinted in our time by the National
Historical Institute) and “Miscellaneous Writings of Jose Rizal.” The former is a collection of
writings, many of which we were never taught in school, while the latter is a mixed bag
ranging from his medical notebooks, “Rules for the Determination of the Dimensions of
Parapets,” to a list of shells he collected in Dapitan. “Rizal’s Prose” is basically on his literary
works while “Miscellaneous Writings” is just that: stray pieces on a variety of topics not
easily classified—notes on Tagalog orthography, the treatment of the bewitched (or how to
cure a victim of a “mangkukulam”), and one of the few articles that Rizal originally wrote in
English, which is his re-telling of the famous Philippine folktale “The Monkey and the Turtle.”

If you are so inclined, there are separate volumes for his letters, another for his poetry. The
schoolmaster’s favorite is the one devoted to his political and historical writings.

In “Miscellaneous Writings,” everything is translated from the original Spanish or French or

Tagalog into English and the compilation has thus misled some into concluding that Rizal
wrote some fairy tales, including “The Ugly Duckling,” because the compiler forgot to
mention that these tales by Hans Christian Andersen were translated into Tagalog and
illustrated by Rizal for his nephews and nieces. These are best read in Rizal’s original
Tagalog. His charming translation of “Thumbelina” is “Si Gahinlalaki” and “The Ugly
Duckling” is rendered as “Ang Pangit na Sisiu ng Pato.”

It is truly unfortunate that a hero who left so many writings is so seldom read by his people.
Maybe we have become so conditioned to associate Rizal with nationalism and holidays that
we forget he can be an engaging writer on a wide range of topics. To read him is to
rediscover not just another aspect of the hero but a way to understand ourselves as
Filipinos.

Sometimes he can be cryptic, such as when he says, “Hay mas dias que longanisas (There
are more days than longanisas),” which is a phrase whose context is lost on us today. Then
there is yet another cryptic parable that can be relevant to those who like to involve lawyers
and get tangled in lawsuits. Rizal wrote:

Once, two friends found a clam near the sea. They debated as to who would have it.

“I,” one said, “saw it first.”

“But I picked it up,” replied his friend.

They went to court and asked the judge to settle the question. The judge opened the shell,
ate the meat, and divided the shell between the litigants.

It is a reminder to people who are fond of resorting to the courts of justice.

Another unfinished story or novel is quite similar to George Orwell’s “Animal Farm.” First
published in 1946, Orwell set the story in a place called Manor Farm, renamed Animal Farm
after a successful revolt of the animals that drove out the humans. The leader of the animals
was a pig named Napoleon.
In Rizal’s story, the leader of the animals is also a pig named Botiok. In this farm there lived
an efficient farmhand named Suan who produced healthy and productive animals. One day,
for some unknown reason, the animals turned sickly. Egg production dropped, the turkeys
lost the sheen on their feathers and the other animals grew thin. This was strange, because
there was no epidemic of animal disease at the time. The narrator, who was born on St.
Solomon’s Day, had the gift of understanding the language of animals, so he climbed and
hid in a macopa tree to eavesdrop on the animals. He discovered that the animals, like
humans, had a social structure of their own, with the pig at the head of their society. It is
unfortunate that Rizal did not complete this story to educate and entertain us further.
When people ask why Rizal always seems relevant and interesting to me, I reply that if we
want to understand Rizal and ourselves, we must go beyond the image in our monuments
and textbooks to unravel the complexity of a man who mirrors a lot of what we are and what
we wish for.

3) Rizal confronts us in the Third Millennium

By A.Z. JOLICCO CUADRA
June 21, 2009, 4:36pm

Gat Dr. Jose P. Rizal, by his highly creative exceptional life of 35 young years and the great-
grand-glorious gesture of his early martyrdom, created for us the remarkable conditions for
the birth of Filipino nationhood. Propelled by his tremendous, indubitably unequalled love for
his nation and his people. His life thus is full of mystery.

His life, polemically, paradoxically, is a “realer” one more than a mythologer can
conceive(“The mystery is in the visible”).It’s grudgingly accepted that his greatest mystery
is his obvious life (his writings and travels abroad among others contribute to it).

Now the Rizalistas, federating under the umbrella organization of Celyo Rizal, with Reyna
Yolanda Manalo, the Suprema Babaylan, its founder at the helm being the guiding spirit,
forming one strong body, after a century of Rizalista diversifications into cults, paid material
and spiritual obeisance, homage and greatest honor to Rizal on his 148th birth
anniversary(the equivalence of almost three lifetimes)at the LLC Auditorium, Calamba City.
By staging material and spiritual festivities; that began at 12 Noon of June 18 till 12 midnight
of the same day.Indeed it was a joyful asalto; tempered with variety; of kundimans ,songs,
dances, messages with material and spiritual underpinnings, etc.
This is the third national public performance of Celyo Rizal; two others preceded it. Celyo
Rizal is spearheaded by the battlecry of: MakaDiyos, MakaKalikasan, MakaTao, and
MakaBayan. It aims not only to redeem the lost consciousness of an ancient civilization,
Lemuria; but also to illuminate most the Rizal consciousness in us.

The present Rizal celebration was preceded by two other immeasureable events. In 2007,
June 19, at the Luneta, Celyo Rizal gave birth to the living, throbbing Philippine Human Flag;
composed of Rizalistas from all over. The men and women participating had their clothes
sewn to the vivid red, blue, white and gold to simulate the vivid, vibrant colors of our flag. A
first in the nation and Asia.

In 2008, the June 17 asalto saw the mindboggling formation of our geography in the Luneta
grounds: the Philippine Human Map. Indeed it was a heartbeating, living; breathing
conglomeration of diverse peoples, for it included our indigenous peoples: the Tribos and
Katutubos of our grassroots; like the Ifugaos, Isnegs, Itawis, Maranaos, Taosugs, Higaonons
in their rainbowspangled costumes.Even schoolchildren from far Natappian, Cagayan Valley,
participated. Again: a first not only in the nation but in the world.

Celyo Rizal this year participated in the Rizal Festivities of Calamba City’s Jose Rizal birth
anniversary celebrations. The celebrations-homage is a first: for the very first time,
Calamba City, Rizal’s birthplace, began its homage on June 12, Independence Day, and
continued until June 19, Rizal’s birthday. Celyo Rizal progenitrix Reyna Yolanda envisions
this together momentum to become a national week-long event in the future to be called
Kapistahan ng Lahing Pilipino.

Celyo Rizal paid homage to Bathalang Ama by presenting its own unique program to the
theme: Sino At Ano Si Dr. Jose P. Rizal, which conjuncted with Calamba City’s theme: Dr.
Jose Rizal Isang Calambenyo, Idolo Ng Sambayanang Pilipino.

Celyo Rizal’s program opened with the singing of Tindig Inang Bayan, followed by the
National Anthem, with some Rizalistas singing: Ang Mabuhay Ay Dahil Sa Iyo: where Ang
Mamatay Ay Dahil Sa Iyo.. The fiesta-fun was peppered here and there with traditional
Pilipino songs, poems, theater, and dances. But the evening’s highlights were well-defined
by the speeches delivered by the special guests: DepEd’s assistant secretary Jonathan F.
Malaya; National Historical Institute’s deputy executive director Emelita V. Almosara;
Muntinlupa Congressman Ruffy Biazon; and Bagong Historian Michael Chua of De La Salle
University, with his audio-visual presentation of Rizal’s rare qualities.

Outstanding show was the Sangkapphusay dance evaluation (choreographed by Rexi Wong),
Pagbubunyi Para Kay Dr. Jose P. Rizal. The tasteful use of colors in the dancers, their
pantomime in some scenes gave the rapt audience its highs. But what capped the program
was the honor-plaques etc. given (handed out to the chairmen and members of the
Mangingisda and Mansasaka Calamba organizations by former assistant secretary of the
Department of Agriculture Marinela Reyes Castillo), a grand gesture of Celyo Rizal’s Reyna
Yolanda, a first in the history of our spirituality. The program was glori0usly professionally
emceed by Celyo Rizal spokesman Auggusta De Almeidda with her beguilingly educated
voice. The Rizalista-audience, composed of federated members, their leaders and visitors
garbed in white, looked clean, and wellscrubbed in their Sunday best, avid for unusual
entertainment.(Celyo Rizal joined in the yearly Calamba float-parade with its uniquely
distinctive all-different leaves of Rizal symbols decorating its Elf truck.)

Rizal’s prophecies for our nation are embedded in his two novels, The Noli and The Fili; in
1986 those in The Noli have occurred; but those in The Fili are still unfolding. Conjunct with
these are the unfolding prophecies in his essay Pilipinas: A Hundred Years After.

The Rizal Birthday Celebrations will have become Law by 2010(It needs only the Senate’s
approval). Meaning, it’s going to be a national holiday, beginning June 12, Independence
Day, culminating on June 19, Rizal National Day. This is the sacrosanct vision of Celyo Rizal;
that not only will we celebrate nationally Rizal. At an allotted time on every June 19,
“Lamps” (Rizal’s symbol of Divine Illumination and Freedom) be lighted simultaneously all
over the nation! All this in just, greatest respect for Gat Dr. Jose P. Rizal!

One recalls the unforgettable memory, when Celyo Rizal paid a courtesy call on DepED
Secretary Jesli A. Lapus who in conversation said that in a world conference on Rizal scholars
and historians in Malaysia they tried to find another man who could equal the achievements
of Rizal to no avail. Ang Buhay Si Rizal At Si Rizal Ay Buhay.

4) CRUCIBLE: Jose Rizal’s name, By Julkipli Wadi

QUEZON CITY (MindaNews/01 July) -- The painting with green color of Jose Rizal’s historic
house in Calamba, Laguna, by the National Historical Institute (NHI) brings to fore an issue
about the name of the Filipino national hero, particularly his surname. According to the NHI,
green was chosen as the color because “the surname “Rizal” is derived from the Spanish
word for “green fields,” that is why the house should be painted the color of rice fields.”
How accurate is this view?
In April 2002, after a 30-day stint with the International Visitors Program, an educational and
cultural tour program of the United States, I visited Dr. Cesar Adib Majul who was one of the
leading specialists on Jose Rizal. He lived in the US after his retirement from the University of
the Philippines in 1980.

To my surprise, the man I long wanted to meet was very happy to see me. Despite his old
age, he went to fetch me at Oakland Airport and invited me to be with him for two or three
days, where I stayed most of the time at his residence conversing and learning intently like
a novice at the feet of his teacher.

That meeting started our late but intimate friendship almost a father-son relation as shown
through our letters and emails containing mostly his feelings and other advices, including his
sending of books, research materials and other rare documents, personal writings, his
calligraphies carved by himself, prayer books and Qur'anic readings in cassette tapes and
others that he entrusted to me and kept sending until a few days before he passed away in
San Pablo, California on October 11, 2003.

After exchanging salam and other pleasantries at the airport he reminisced his days in the
Philippines especially his research on Muslims in the Philippines, Apolinario Mabini, Jose Rizal
and many more. On our way to Pusod, a Filipino non-government organization in Berkeley, I
vividly remember to have asked him about the etymology of the word “rizal.” And Dean
Majul responded: “there are two theories about it. The one is, the word “rizal” comes from
“roz”, Spanish and Arabic word for rice or from Spanish “ricial” to mean green field. The
other one is Arabic word rijāl (men), which is the plural form of rajul (man).”

When I interjected that the word “rizal” must possibly be “rijāl,” Majul gave a light smile and
snapped back: “it’s understandable but either way beware in falling into propaganda.” It
means that while Majul is probably more convinced of his second theory, yet, because of his
objectivity and sense of fairness, Majul provides space to other assumptions. From his
answer, I learned as much as Rizal’s etymology as the value of objective scholarship in
understanding Philippine history from one of the country’s respected scholars.

It is known that the full name of Jose Rizal is José Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda.
The name “Rizal” was adopted as Jose’s surname when in 1849 Governor-General Narciso
Claveria ordered all Filipino families to choose new surnames from a list of Spanish family
names.”
Accordingly, a Spanish provincial governor who was “a friend of the family” suggested to
Jose’s father, Francisco Mercado (originally Lam-co), to adopt the surname “Rizal” which was
originally Ricial, which means “the green of young growth or green fields.”
Whether or not the name “Rizal” is in the list of Catálogo alfabético de apellidos which
supposedly contained the “family names and the imposition of the Spanish naming system”
in the mid-19th century, the question is why of all names the word “rizal” was suggested
and why the Mercado family seemed to willingly accept it. The rice or green field theory (roz
or ricial) which apart from “the green of young growth or green fields” also means “growing
again” applying more to “the after crop of corn” and “cut green for the feed of cattle”
provides an idea that the word “rizal” is Spanish as well as Arabic.
The question which language influenced another is irrelevant, except that Arabs ruled Spain
for more than 700 years before Ferdinand Magellan accidentally landed in the Philippines in
1521.
Whether the word “rizal” comes from Arabic/Spanish “roz” or “ricial,” well, it is good to
know; but the value of both words in relating to “rizal” stops there. They cannot be
substantiated by clearer etymological and historical explanation – a reason why Dean Majul
considered other etymology particularly the Arabic word “rijāl.” Finally, another Arabic term
– risāla (message) also with similar root as rasūl (messenger) – is not mentioned by Majul
but instructive, too, as possible source of the word “rizal.”
These rich Arabic words as possible sources of “rizal” should not surprise people because
Tagalog language has many Arabic loan words particularly pertaining to Filipino spirituality,
places and expressions like “kaluluwa” (from Arabic ruh which means soul or spirit), “ala eh”
(Allāh: God) “simbahan” (subha: praise), “Manila” (amānillah: blessing from God),
(“mabalacat” (barakah: grace), “salamat” (salam: peace), “hukom” (hukm: judgment)
“mamatay” (mawt: death) “buhay” (hay: life), hence, the famous Tagalog expression
“mabuhay” (There is indeed life!), and thousands of more Arabic words in Philippine
languages and dialects.
To say the least, despite centuries of Spanish colonialism, religious medievalism and
historical parochialism, these Arabic loan words – with their underlying philosophy and
worldview – continued to shape Filipino psyche, history and identity; they have never been
muted and weeded out of their essential significance. In his article, “Our Islamic Heritage,”
Michael Tan of the Philippine Daily Inquirer encapsulated this point more clearly:
When the Spaniards arrived in the Philippines, Islam had already reached different parts of
the islands, including Manila. Catholicism eventually became the dominant religion but,
ironically, became another channel for Islamic influences. Spain, after all, was once occupied
by the Muslims or Moors, who left a strong influence in the arts, from architecture to music.
Alicia Coseteng writes in “Spanish Churches in the Philippines” about the Muslim influence in
churches in the provinces of Bohol and Cebu. One church in Carcar, Cebu, even has those
onion-shaped domes or cupolas and four-cornered hat roofs that we usually associate with
Islamic architecture.
The strength of Majul’s second etymological theory on “rizal” as “rijāl” is backed up by
history. The name “Rijāl” was a famous name among Malays with the influence of Islam and
Arabic language in Southeast Asia since the 10th century. So that when Miguel Lopez de
Legazpi wrestled Manila from a budding Islamic sultanate on 17 May 1571, Manila was
already under the sway of Brunei particularly the fifth sultan of Brunei named Sultan Seifu r-
Rijāl (roughly translated as valiant king of men or king of valiant men) who was related to
Muslim chiefs namely Rajah Matanda of Pasig, Rajah Sulayman of Manila, and Rajah
Lakandula of Tanduh (corrupted later to Tondo).
It is not therefore difficult to point out that apart from his Chinese blood, Rizal’s indigenous
lineage dated back to pre-Hispanic Manila. And knowing such lineage is significant because
as pointed out by Austin Craig the mother of Jose Rizal – Teodora Alonzo – traced her root to
Rajah Lakandula through Eugenio Ursua (Teodora’s great grandfather) and Atty. Manuel de
Quintos (Teodora’s grandfather).
Moreover, it is not impossible to consider that until the latter part of Spanish rule the name
Rijāl (popularly known as Rizal) continues to ring a bell in Manila and the rest of the
Philippines, a reason probably why Jose and the Mercado family accepted it. With Spanish
ricial as a homonym of rijāl it is not difficult for that Spanish provincial governor to suggest
the name “Rizal” as the Mercado family’s new surname.
It is not clear however whether that governor knew that the word “rizal” has etymological
affinity with Arabic or has historical antecedent with early Islamic Manila. It can only be
surmised that Spanish officials assigned to the Philippines in the latter part of Spanish
colonialism must have already been moderated unlike the early wave of Conquistadores
who carried strong antipathy against Islam. Through time the situation has become even
more different in Spain especially today. Spanish government has been relentless in
preserving Islamic legacy particularly the majestic Alhambra Mosque in Granada and other
Moorish architectural masterpieces in Cordova and Seville and other areas. These places
have been major sources of tourism industry in Spain. It is ironic that while Spain has long
embraced back and preserved her Islamic past, the Philippines continued to run from it.
Anyhow, if “rizal” is “rijāl,” how do we explain the fact that the Arabic “rijāl” (men) is
actually plural form of “rajul” (man) which by grammatical construction the latter should
have been the more appropriate surname as it refers to single person?
If the name “Seifu r-Rijāl” which was actually more of a title of the Brunei Sultan and
correctly constructed in Arabic grammar was probably popular among early Muslim
inhabitants of Manila, such title must have been thought as a person’s name and
subsequently used by other people as such. Besides, Malays who are not fully Arabic
speaking people are least concerned with grammar, a reason why many Indonesian and
Malaysian and even some Filipinos today continue to carry Rizal as their names.
What bears important to mention is that by changing the surname from Mercado to Rizal the
Spaniards thought they had extirpated the indigenous identity of Jose and his family. Truth
is, it made Jose Rizal even more closer to his Asian heritage making him worthy of the title
“the pride of the Malay race.” Except that, the NHI by callously painting Jose Rizal’s house
green using colonial interpretation of Philippine history bordering on what Dean Majul
referred to as propaganda, defiles such epic contribution of the man to the formation of
Asian heritage.
And no less than Jose Rizal himself was against such shallow understanding of Philippine
history exhorting his people to be inclusive with their past including most certainly the
struggle of his ancestors who like himself fought hard for freedom and justice four centuries
before he was born while reminding not to forget them. In the conversation between Ibarra
(or Elias?) and Basilio in the “Noli Me Tangere,” Rizal wrote: “Nothing will remain of me…I
die without seeing the sun on my country. You who are to see the dawn, welcome it, and do
not forget those who fell during the night.”
While, of course, this reminder by Jose Rizal applies to different circumstances and to a
different place and time and can be interpreted from different perspectives by different
people including Philippine Muslim themselves, this view should not create an impression
that the latter are simply hungry for recognition appearing, as it were, that they are begging
for a place in Philippine history. Never!
If Philippine Muslims and their history are not appreciated, it’s not their problem. Besides,
they have a different framework of history with separate tract of historical line, their history
remains largely in the making, and thus, its fulfillment relies not on others but on
themselves.
At the minimum, what is being demanded is for dominant interpreters of Philippine history to
be objective and inclusive of their historical appraisal not because other people and their
history demand it but no less than truth requires it. This way they do not only enrich
themselves but would avoid, too, in committing more flaks and other idiosyncrasies. By
being inclusive, they would fully know who they are. (MindaViews is the opinion section of
MindaNews. Julkipli Wadi is Associate Professor of Islamic Studies at the University of the
Philippines Diliman)

5) Dr. Jose Rizal: The Foremost Filipino Deist

The national hero of the Philippines was actually a deist but this fact is not widely known
among Filipinos.
Tags: deism, deist, filipino, jose rizal, Religion
Published by Joemar Taganna in Religion on September 23, 2006 | 126 responses
There are so many things that ordinary Filipinos do not know about their national hero. Even
if his two novels (Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo) is being studied in high school and
his life and works in college as part of the curriculum, many things have been left out of
importance. Many details in the novels have been omitted and some aspects of Rizal’s life
have been neglected if not concealed for some reasons
For instance, it is little known that Rizal was actually a deist. He had a firm belief in God but
he rejected revealed religion. When we say revealed religion, it refers to a religion that
bases its teachings on a supposed revelation from God contained in “holy books” and/or
traditions handed down from generations to generations. One can read Rizal’s exposition on
this subject in his correspondence with a Jesuit priest, Fr. Pablo Pastells, who was actually
his spiritual director during his youthful years in Ateneo. The exchange occurred when Rizal
was in an exile in Dapitan and when Fr. Pastells was already the Superior of the Philippine
Mission of the Society of Jesus.
In his third letter to Pastells, our national hero explained:
“Through reasoning and by necessity, rather than through faith, do I firmly believe in the
existence of a creative Being. Who is he? I do not know. What human sounds, what accents
are we to use in pronouncing the name of this Being whose works overwhelm the
imagination? Can anyone give him an adequate name, when a small creature on this earth
with power so fleeting carries two or three names, three or four surnames, and many more
titles and designations? We call him Dios but this only comes from the Latin dues and
ultimately from the Greek Zeus. What kind of being is he? I would attribute to him, to an
infinite degree, all the beautiful and holy qualities my mind can think of, but the fear of my
ignorance constrains me. Someone has said that everyone conjures up his own God in his
own image and likeness. And if my memory serves me right, it was Anacreon who said that
if a bull could form an image of God, it would imagine with horns and mooing in a
superlative degree. Even so I venture to think of him as infinitely wise, mighty, good (my
idea of the infinite is imperfect and confused), when I behold the wonders of his works, the
order that reigns over the universe, the magnificence and expanse of creation, and the
goodness that shines in all.”
Read more in Religion
« You Might Be a Deist Without Knowing It
We Need God in America Again »
“Unable to pass judgement on what surpasses my powers, I settle for studying God in his
creatures like myself and in the voice of my conscience, which only can have come from
him. I strive to read and find his will in all that surrounds me and in the mysterious
sentiment speaking from within me, which I strive to purify above all else.”
Thus, Rizal’s belief in a Deity was based on reasonable reflection of nature as well as from
conscience and not on faith or divine revelation. On the same letter, Rizal expressed his
disbelief on the teachings of ancient sacred books. He writes:
“The various religions claim to have God’s will condensed and written in books and dogmas;
but apart from the many contradictions, conflicting interpretations of words, and many
obscure and untenable points I find in them, my conscience, my reason cannot admit that
he who like a wise father had provided his creatures with everything necessary for this life,
proceeded to bury what was necessary for eternal life in the obscurities of a language
unknown to the rest of the world and hide it behind metaphors and deeds that go against
the very laws of nature. Is it possible that he who makes the sun rise for all and the air to
blow everywhere to give life, he who has endowed everyone with intelligence and reason for
life here on earth, has also hidden from us what is most necessary for our eternal life? What
shall we say of a father who heaps candies and toys on his children, but gives food only to
one of them, educates and rears him alone? And what if it so happens that this chosen one
refuses to eat while the others die looking for food?”
But Rizal goes to qualify his denial of revelation. He only denied special revelation that came
through ancient books or traditions. He pointed it out in his fourth letter to Fr. Pastells that:
“I believe in revelation, but in the living revelation of nature which surrounds us everywhere,
in the voice speaking out through nature – powerful, eternal, incorruptible, clear, distinct,
and universal as the Being from which it comes. It is this revelation that I believe in, which
speaks to us and penetrates our being from the day we are born to the day we die. Can any
other books reveal to us more faithfully God’s work, his goodness, his love, his providence,
his eternity, his glory, his wisdom? ‘The heavens tell the glory of the Lord, and the
firmament proclaims his handiwork. Ps 19:1’ Must humanity look for other gospels in order
to love God? Do you not believe that men did wrong when they looked for God’d will in
scrolls and temples instead of the wonders of nature under the majestic canopy of the skies?
Instead of interpreting obscure passages or phrases which provoked hatreds, wars, and
dissensions, would it not have been preferable to interpret the facts of nature the better to
shape our lives according to its inviolable laws and utilize its resources for our perfection?”
It is then obvious that Rizal was neither Catholic nor Protestant or any other religion you
know. He just came to the conclusion that God exists through reasoning and through
studying nature and not from any suspicious and contradictory revelation. I advise you get
hold of these exchanges with Fr. Pastells. You can also read the honest and equally
intelligent replies of Fr. Pastells, which makes their exchange mentally stimulating and really
interesting. But in the end, Rizal remained unmoved. He was not convinced by the priest’s
arguments as was clearly expressed in his last letter.
Therefore, our national hero, who was incontestably intelligent and no doubt studied these
matters carefully, came to arrive at a very simple religious philosophy that was attuned to
be one of the foundations of the Filipino nation; attuned to his aspirations of independence,
academic and religious freedom for our country.
Reference:
Bonoan, Raul J., S.J. 1994. The Rizal-Pastells Correspondence. Manila: Ateneo de Manila
University Press. pages 121-216

6) Jose Rizal's Legacy . . . A Life worth Emulating

By: Zigfred Diaz

More than 111 years ago, Spanish authorities shot a man in the grounds of Luneta Manila.
That moment was about to change the course of Philippine history. The man who was shot
during that time was Jose Rizal. Every year we continue to remember and commemorate the
death anniversary of this great man.

What was the reason why Jose Rizal was chosen as our national hero ? What is the greatest
legacy that he gave to the Filipino people ? Majority of Filipinos believed that Jose Rizal
become a national hero because of his example and his writings that greatly influenced
most of our revolutionary leaders. However there are those who believe that he should only
be declared a hero not "The national hero." Majority of Filipinos also believe that the
greatest legacy that he gave to the Filipino people was his patriotism and his love for his
country.

Years ago when I was taking up the required "Rizal" course in college, I was so amazed by
the story of Jose Rizal that I went through Zaide's book on Rizal in just one day. I consider
Jose Rizal is one of my "Role models." When I went to Manila, I made sure that I could visit
the actual grounds where Rizal was shot. Contrary to what others believe, Rizal was not shot
where the Rizal shrine in Luneta stands. The actual place where he was shot is several
meters away from the shrine. As you approach the area you can see a sign that says that
the place is "hollowed ground." and it truly is for me. After we took the bar exams, I went
with my family to Enchanted Kingdom. I also saw this as an oppurtunity to visit nearby
Calamba, Laguna, Rizal's home. Hopefully, I hope to visit his place of exile in Dapitan
someday. Reading so much about Rizal, being to the places where he has been, and
watching so many Rizal movies, I cannot help but ask myself, how could a somebody who
lived only 34 years of his life make a huge difference in this world, not only in his country
but globally as well ?

It is my personal belief that Jose Rizal's greatest legacy is a life that is full of meaning and
purpose. Even if he lived for only 34 years, he accomplished so much because he had a
vision in his mind and a mission in his heart. The strength and intensity of such mission and
vision translated into action. That is why he did not waste any time in trivial matters. Rather
he devoted all of his time to live out his mission and accomplish his vision.

The question right now that I should be asking myself or you should be asking yourself is
when the time comes for us to leave this earth, will our lives matter? Can we truly say that
we have lived a full and meaningful life? If we cannot answer this question positively, than
we must ask God to grant us a personal vision and a mission for our lives in order that we
might not waste our time on things that does not matter at all. In so doing we might be able
to live a life just like Jose Rizal did and leave a legacy for others to follow. Leaving a legacy
as Rizal did is what I believe as my "higher calling."

Article Source: http://www.approvedarticles.com

7) Article: Dr. Jose P. Rizal 107th Martyrdom.(Opinion &

Editorial)
Article from: Manila Bulletin
Article date: December 29, 2003

THE scaffold was Fathers Gomez, Burgos, and Zamoras stairway to martyrdom. For Dr. Jose
P. Rizal, his martyrdom was etched by the bullets fired from the rifles of a firing squad in the
early morning of December 30, 1896.
The executioners did not only create another Filipino martyr. They also produced a national
symbol and a Filipino nation. For Dr. Rizals execution became the catalyst that cemented
the disparate inhabitants of the country into one mighty force, thus giving birth to a national
hero for the Filipino people and the Filipino republic, the first free nation in 19th century
colonial Asia.
It is impossible to write the history of the Philippines without Dr. Jose P. Rizal, historian
Austin Coates said as he highlighted the central role played by Dr. Rizal in the realization of
the Filipino desire for freedom.
El Verbo de la Revolucion (the Messiah of the Philippine Revolution) and the Apostle of
Philippine Freedom are two of the many illustrious titles scholars have given to Dr. Rizal. His
works, especially the Noli Me Tangere and the El Filibusterismo, expressed not only his
countrymens yearnings for liberty and self-rule, they also concretized the universal principle
that the right to be free is inherent in every people.
Dr. Rizal had several opportunities to escape death and live a life of leisure and wealth.
Instead, he chose martyrdom to show to the world what the Filipino people could do. By
losing his life for his country, he made real the idea that a life consecrated to a great
purpose is a meaningful and worthwhile one.
Today, we observe the 107th anniversary of the martyrdom of the Pride of the Malay Race
Dr. Jose P. Rizal. Let us preserve Dr. Jose P. Rizals memory for the sake of our posterity.

8) Dapitan unveils P35-million Dr. Jose Rizal monument

By CHERYL T. BALDICANTOS
December 29, 2009, 6:22pm
ZAMBOANGA DEL NORTE – Dapitan City’s ambitious landmark project consisting of five
bronze larger-than-life human statues and a boat valued at P35 million was unveiled
Tuesday.
The 10-foot-tall monument, which is situated at the shoreline of Barangay Sta. Cruz in
Dapitan City, marks the spot where Dr. Jose Rizal first arrived in the area 117 years ago. It is
called the Punto de Disembarco.
The molded statues cost P15 million while the rest of the fund was used for the monument’s
foundations. The project is partly sponsored by the province of Zamboanga del Norte.
Tony Tubierra did the research for the molding specifications of the statues. Everything,
including the lanterns held and the hats worn by the men, were made based on recorded
descriptions.
Even the face of Rizal was molded as close to his picture in the records as they can get it.
Before the bronze was casted into molding, a resin replica was first made to see if the mold
was perfect.
Ronel Roces, a former assistant sculptor of National Artist for Sculpture Napoleon Abueva,
sculpted the monument.
The newly unveiled landmark is part of the Heritage Trail plan of the city. Next, the street
facing the monument will be renamed after Dr. Rizal.
Life-sized statues of the national hero will also be installed in places he used to go.
“The statues will be like that of Madame Tussaud in Amsterdam. Even the statues’ flesh will
be as soft as that of a human,” city consultant former Rep. Romeo Jalosjos said during the
opening speech.
Another plan for the Heritage Trail is the building of an amphitheater inside the Rizal Shrine
grounds.
Dr. Jose Protacio Rizal arrived in Dapitan on July 17, 1892 after he was exiled by the Spanish
administration. They incited rebellion through illegal association.
For four years, Dr. Rizal furthered his practice of medicine and the other arts here. He also
taught some boys in Dapitan science, mathematics and the performing arts.
In the Philippines, Wednesay, December 30, is Rizal Day.

9) DIMASALANG: The Masonic Life of Dr. Jose Rizal

Article by Fred Lamar Pearson, Jr.
The life and death of Brother Jose Rizal were central to his fame as the "George Washington
of the Philippines."
Dr. Jose P. Rizal, a Philippine national born on June 19, 1861, died before a firing squad on
December 30, 1896. Thus came to an inglorious end the life of a remarkable man and
Mason. Martyr, patriot, poet, novelist, physician, Mason?he was all of these and more. In
fact, he squeezed into a very few years, 35, an incredible array of activities. Further, he
traveled extensively and affected profoundly lives far removed from his native land. As is
often the case with great men, controversy surrounded his life and continues to surface
today. In this article for the Journal, I am pleased to comment on a biography of Bro. Rizal by
Reynold S. Fajardo. Titled Dimasalang: The Masonic Life of Dr. Jose Rizal, this book will be
more thoroughly reviewed and excerpted from in a future issue of Heredom, the
transactions of the Scottish Rite Research Society.
The Sovereign Grand Commander of the Philippine Supreme Council of the Scottish Rite, Ill.
Rudyardo V. Bunda, 33°, writes in the preface to Dimasalang: "Most Filipinos know that Rizal
was a Mason, but very few are familiar with the extent of his involvement in the Fraternity."
The Grand Commander goes on to note that his Supreme Council "considers this book as a
meaningful contribution to the scholarship on Rizal and is proud to publish it as its share in
the commemoration of the Centennial [1996] of Rizal?s martyrdom."
The 1800s were tumultuous years for the Spanish monarchy. Napoleon had invaded the
Iberian Peninsula earlier in the century taking the royal family into exile and installing a
puppet on the throne. Revolution had racked her western hemisphere possessions, and
Spain lost all of them, except Cuba and Puerto Rico, by the end of 1824. Then she lost Cuba
and Puerto Rico in 1898. The economic life of Spain and her empire had been little changed
by the industrial revolution. Intellectually, a sterility existed and did not change significantly
until the Generation of 1898 writers and thinkers appeared.
Also, scandal tore at the very heart of the homeland when Generals Prim and Serrano
removed Queen Isabel II from the throne for, among other things, gross immorality. They
provided a military junta arrangement until the monarchy could be reestablished under
more capable hands.
The 19th century produced volatility at home and abroad. Cuba experienced a ten-year civil
war in the middle part of the century. Cuban expatriates as well as non-Cuban adventurers
sought to wrest the island from the control of what they considered a fossilized monarchy
and an absolutist church. Their efforts intensified in 1895 when José Martí returned to the
island, losing his life but setting off a current of events which ultimately included an invasion
by the United States and which resulted in Cuban independence. The Philippine Islands
shared much in common with Cuba during the 19th century. It was in this environment that
Jose Rizal made his appearance in 1861.
The Philippine hero was born to affluent parents in Calamba. He showed early academic
promise and eventually obtained a licentiate in medicine specializing in ophthalmology. Few
Masonic Lodges existed in the Philippines during Rizal?s adolescence, and Lodge
membership consisted primarily of European Spaniards with only a sprinkling of Philippine
nationals. Rizal?s uncle, Jose Alberto Alonzo, a Knight Commander of the Spanish Orders of
Isabel the Catholic and Carlos III, had joined the Masonic Fraternity, possibly in Spain,
certainly in Manila. Rizal lived in his uncle?s home during part of his student days. Whether
his uncle exercised a Masonic influence on Rizal is not clear; what is certain is that Rizal
acquired a lasting positive memory of Masonry which was enhanced when he visited Naples
in 1882. There he saw a multitude of posters and signs announcing the death of the great
Italian patriot Giuseppe Garibaldi, a 33° Scottish Rite Mason who had served as Grand
Master. This impressed Rizal greatly for he wrote about this Masonic encounter in a letter to
his family.
In Spain the young and highly impressionable Rizal encountered an intellectual environment
with far fewer restraints than the one in his native land. Here he came under the influence of
a host of outstanding thinkers, many of them Freemasons. For example, Grand Master
Miguel Morayta helped to expand Rizal?s historical mind-set, and ex-President Francisco Pi y
Margal exerted a profound influence on Rizal?s political evolution. Further, these republican
liberals were staunch advocates of Philippine independence. Not surprisingly, Rizal
petitioned Acacia Lodge No. 9, Gran Oriente de España, the very Lodge in which Morayta
and Pi y Margal held membership. When initiated, Rizal selected Dimasalang as his symbolic
name within the Craft, a custom prevalent at the time among Spanish Masons.
Rizal quickly became involved in Filipino expatriate circles in Spain and revealed a
remarkable ability to write both poetry and prose. He soon commenced work on his famous
novel Noli Me Tangere (Touch Me Not). In this seminal work, Rizal dissected the Philippine
colonial government and placed particular blame for its repressive nature on certain
religious elements. Rizal was convinced that conditions in the Philippines existed not
because of Spain or the Catholic Church but because of the practices of certain regular
clergy, namely Dominicans and Recollects. Spanish newspapers ran stories about the
exciting Philippine firebrand, stories which soon made their way to Manila. There,
government and religious authorities immediately took note and did not hesitate to label
Rizal a subversive.
Bro. Rizal departed Spain in July 1885 to further his ophthalmology studies in France and
Germany. For the next two years, he met and associated with the leading minds of Paris,
Leipzig, Berlin, and Heidelberg. It was a heady atmosphere for the young Brother, and
Masons in Germany, Dr. Rudolf Virchow and Dr. Feodor Jagor, were instrumental in his
becoming a member of the Berlin Ethnological and Anthropological Societies. While in
Germany, Rizal acquired additional Masonic Degrees.
When his novel Noli Me Tangere, came off the press in Europe, Rizal sent copies to, among
others, the Governor-General of the Philippines and the Archbishop of Manila. The Governor-
General, Emilio Terrero y Perinat, a 33° Mason, represented no problem, and he protected
Rizal upon his return to the islands and for as long as he held the Governor-Generalship. The
Archbishop, however, presented a problem which did not go away. Rizal had become
increasingly convinced of his need to campaign in person for reform in the Philippines as
opposed to propagandizing from afar. His friends cautioned him not to return but failed to
dissuade the idealist. On August 5, 1887, Dr. Rizal stepped ashore in Manila.
Almost immediately, serious problems emerged. The Manila Archbishop put pressure on
Governor-General Terrero to ban Rizal?s book. Terrero, who had a real liking for Rizal,
hesitated to suppress the book which rapidly circulated in the capital. The church authorities
did not delay in publishing a condemnation of the work, but, to their chagrin, the
condemnation only enhanced sales. Rizal also involved himself in a sticky matter which
concerned a Dominican hacienda in Calamba. According to critics of the Dominicans, their
hacienda holdings were excessive, and the friars had not paid their fair share of taxes. Rizal,
when requested by the town council of Calamba, got involved in an investigation of the
matter, and his report during a public meeting was highly critical of the Dominicans.
The church hierarchy did not take long to react. The Archbishop increased pressure on the
Governor-General to suppress Noli Me Tangere as an inflammatory book and to arrest its
author. Accordingly, Governor-General Terrero, fearing he might not be able to protect him,
put pressure on Rizal to depart the country. Rizal heeded the advice and traveled to Hong
Kong. Meanwhile, the religious authorities carried out reprisals against Rizal?s family which
included the arrest of his mother.
After a short stay in Hong Kong, Rizal traveled to Japan and then the United States where he
enjoyed the experience of a coast-to-coast visit. New York, in particular, impressed him, and
cryptic evidence in his diary suggests he may have visited the Grand Lodge of New York.
From New York City, Rizal journeyed to England and then on to the continent. While in Paris,
Rizal published, with annotations, Antonio de Morga?s Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas (Events
in the Philippine Islands). Financial pressure forced him to relocate from Paris to Belgium.
There, he worked hard on his second novel, El Filibusterismo (The Subversives), in which he
sounded clearly the tocsin for Philippine revolution.
During a visit to Spain, Dr. Rizal affiliated with an all-Filipino Masonic Lodge, Solidaridad
(Solidarity) No. 53. At their annual communication, the Brethren elected him to a minor
office, Supervising Architect. Before his departure from Spain, the Gran Oriente Español
designated Rizal as its Grand Representative with authority to represent the Body in France
and Germany. This was a distinct honor, for Rizal apparently had never served as Worshipful
Master of a constituent Lodge.
Rizal?s El Filibusterismo was published in September 1891, and in October he departed for
Hong Kong. There he enjoyed a delightful reunion with family members. He wanted to return
to Manila but desisted in view of the controversy his books had generated, especially his
second, El Filibusterismo. While in Hong Kong, Rizal developed an extensive and lucrative
medical practice. Meanwhile, a Lodge for Filipinos, Nilad No. 144, had been established in
Manila. The Lodge membership honored Rizal in absentia by electing him "Honorable
Venerable Master" and had the Secretary inform him by letter of his preferment. Soon after
formation of Nilad Lodge, Masonic growth in the Philippines mushroomed, and when Rizal
returned in 1892, Masonry was well established.
The Filipino Masons seized every opportunity to honor Rizal after his return, and the Spanish
authorities, in turn, monitored his every movement. Worried about revolution, the
authorities, constantly encouraged by Rizal?s enemies among the friars, had him arrested
and deported to Dapitan on July 6, 1892. Further, the authorities began to close Lodges and
deport active Masons.
The Jesuits made a determined effort to influence Rizal in his Dapitan exile, even enlisting
former college professors. Their effort failed. Rizal enjoyed family visits in Dapitan, and
friends of his sought to arrange a flight to safety. Rizal, however, did not want to embrace
the safety net of a fugitive. When José Martí and his compatriots launched the Cuban
Revolution in 1895, Dr. Rizal offered his services to the Governor-General as a volunteer
physician. Governor-General Blanco seized the opportunity to send Rizal out of the country
and, hopefully, save his life. In fact, Blanco wrote to cabinet ministers in Spain requesting
the Spanish government to pardon Rizal. When Rizal departed for Spain, he was unaware of
the doom which awaited him. When Rizal?s ship reached Spain, the authorities returned him
to the Philippines to stand trial for treason, and he was executed on December 30, 1896.
The story however does not end there. The subsequent Philippine Revolution proved
successful and removed European Spaniards from all positions of authority. The scales of
justice not only righted but tipped in favor of such revolutionaries as Bro. Jose Rizal.
Recognized as the "George Washington of the Philippines," Bro. Rizal endures today as a
national and Masonic hero.

10) Rizal, An Excommunicated Catholic

Dr. Jose Rizal, an Ex-Catholic

I was wondering earlier what to write and publish here on this blog (SELaplana) that might
entertain you and probably let you learn of something that can be useful to you. I was
browsing my cards of snippets when I found this:

Nakagawa ng malaking kasalanan si Polavieja sa Dios at sa kasaysayan noon umaga ng

ika-30 ng Disyembre, 1896. Suriin ninyo kung maipatatawad ang mga kasalanan niyang ito:
Ipinapatay niya ang aking asawa, si Dr. Rizal, na walang kasalanan kundi ang umibig sa
kanyang bayan. At sa pagpatay na ito ay napalakip pa ang isang mabigat na sagutin niya.
Dili iba kundi ang pagkatanggap ng suhol na aninnapung libong pisong Mehikano
(P60,000.00) sa kamay ng Arsobispo, na siyang nangilak noon sa mga samahang relihiyosa
upang matiyak na hindi babaguhin ni Polavieja ang hatol ng hukumang digma na patayin
ang aking asawa.

(My rough English Translation) Polavieja committed sin to God and to the history on the
morning of December 30, 1896. Examine his sins if they are pardonable: He let my husband,
Dr. Rizal (Jose) killed who has done nothing but love his county. And on his death, he
(Polavieja) received a bribe worth P60,000.00 Mexican from the Archbishop who leads the
religious organization, to ensure that Polavieja would not change the judgment of the court
to kill my husband.

This snippet is supposed to be part of the letter of Josephine Bracken, the wife of Dr. Jose
Rizal, to “The China Mail” publication. What really struck me is the accusation of Rizal’s wife
to the Catholic Archbishop in the Philippines for bribing the acting Governor General of the
Philippines, Camilo Polavieja.
I was then intrigued if Dr. Jose Rizal was really the enemy of the Catholic Church since the
Catholic Archbishop wanted the death of Dr. Rizal. My searches on information about Dr.
Rizal’s relation to the Catholic Church lead me to these things:

(1) Rizal was excommunicated by the Catholic Church when he joined the Masonry.

Influenced by Miguel Morayta, a history professor at the Universidad de Madrid, Rizal

joined Masonry, under the Gran Oriente de Espanol, adopting the Masonic name,
Dimasalang. He was automatically excommunicated, expelled from the Catholic Church, a
fate decreed for all Catholics becoming Masons since 1738 and reaffirmed by the CBCP in
1990. Rizal had plenty of illustrious company including Andres Bonifacio, Apolinario Mabini,
Ladislao Diwa, Marcelo H. del Pilar, Juan Luna, Deodato Arellano, Graciano Lopez-Jaena, H.
Pardo de Tavera,
and so many others in the Propaganda Movement and La Liga Filipina. (source:
http://glphils.org/famous-masons/frizal.htm)

(2) Rizal was hunted down by the friars not only because of his book, “Noli Me Tangere” but
also because he was charged by the Dominicans being heretics and agitator.

Only a few days after his arrival, Governor General Terrero receives him at the
Malacanang Palace and tells him of the charges saying that the Noli was full of subversive
ideas. After a discussion, the liberal Governor General appears to be appeased; but he is
unable to offer resistance against the pressure of the church to take action against the book.
The persecution can be discerned from Rizal’s letter to Leitmeritz: “My book made a lot of
noise; everywhere, I am asked about it. They wanted to anthemize me (to excommunicate
me) because of it . . . I am considered a German spy, an agent of Bismarck, they say I am a
Protestant, a free mason, a sorcerer, a damned soul. It is whispered that I want to draw
plans, that I have a foreign passport and that I wander through the streets by night …”

Soon the friars’ hunt is in full swing. They have ample ammunition against Rizal because
he is not only persecuted on account of the Noli, but he is also accused by the Dominicans of
being a heretic and an agitator for his intercession in favor of the tenant farmers in his
hometown, Calamba. Rizal succeeds in putting up a fight for half a year, then the Governor
General gives him the friendly advice of leaving the country because he can no longer keep
his protective hand over Rizal or his family. (source: www.univie.ac.at)

(3) Dr. Jose Rizal attacked the Catholic Church’s doctrines on Miracles, Purgatory,
Confession, Trinity, Dual Nature of Christ, etc. through his writings.

In these two novels we find passages against Catholic dogma and morals 11 where
repeated attacks are made against the Catholic religion in general, against the possibility of
miracles, against the doctrine of Purgatory, against the Sacrament of Baptism, against
Confession, Communion, Holy Mass, against the doctrine of Indulgences, Church prayers,
the Catechism of Christian Doctrine, sermons, sacramentals and books of piety. There are
even passages casting doubts on or covering with confusion God’s omnipotence, the
existence of hell, the mystery of the Most Blessed Trinity, and the two natures of Christ.

Similarly, we find passages which disparage divine worship ,12 especially the veneration
of images and relics, devotion to the Blessed Virgin and the Saints, the use of scapulars,
cords and habits, the praying of rosaries, novenas, ejaculations and indulgenced prayers.
Even vocal prayers are included, such as the Our Father, the Hail Mary, the Doxology, the
Act of Contrition, and the Angelus, Mass ceremonies, baptismal and exsequial rites, worship
of the Cross, the use of holy water and candles, processions, bells and even the Sacred
Sunday obligations do not escape scorn. (source: www.cbcponline.net)

(4) The Catholic Church opposed to the bill requiring Filipino students to read the books of
Rizal because they contain passages against the Roman Catholic Church.
 Senator Claro M. Recto wanted to include Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo in the reading list of college students in 1956. The Catholic Church opposed
the proposal claiming it would violate freedom of conscience and religion. They said the
“novels belong to the past and it would be harmful to read them because they present a
false picture of conditions in the country.” A priest, who was introduced in the senate
committee hearing as an authority on Rizal, added that the Noli was not a patriotic book
since it only contained 25 patriotic passages as opposed to 120 anti-Catholic statements. A
Catholic senator argued that he cannot allow his son to read Rizal’s novels for fear that the
boy will lose his faith. (source: www.yehey.com/News/article.aspx?id=221212)

With this info that we have, it is now clear that Rizal really became the enemy of the
Catholic Church because of his writings. I actually didn’t know about this during the time
that I was taking up the subject on Dr. Jose Rizal’s Life in high school. You couldn’t actually
read about this part of Rizal’s life in public school books. What you can read is that Rizal was
merely attacking the Spanish Colonial government not the Catholic Church.

But how about the said letter of Josephine Bracken to the “The China Mail” publication, is it
really true that the Catholic Archbishop bribed the acting Governor-General of the
Philippines to ensure the death of Dr. Jose Rizal?

Well, we couldn’t answer it directly with Yes. Only Josephine Bracken and the said Catholic
Archbishop knew the truth. But if we will consider the snippet below, we can say that there
is a possibility that it is true that the Catholic Archbishop bribed Polavieja to ensure the
death of Dr. Jose Rizal.

It is here that Rizal is introduced to Luis Taviel (played by Jaime Fabregas) who has been
appointed to defend him at his trial. Taviel is a Spanish officer who at first mistrusts Rizal
and views him as a dangerous revolutionary. Most of the movie takes place in Rizal’s prison
cell and involves Taviel confronting him about his life. There are frequent flashbacks but
some of them are flashbacks to his novels, so it is sometimes hard to keep the order clear.
Eventually Taviel learns to respect Rizal and he decides to do his best job in defending him.

But it is to no avail. The evil head of the Franciscan order in Manila arranges for a new
governor to take over control of the Philippines. The new governor promptly orders a show
trial where the outcome has already been decided. Rizal must die. Despite his best efforts,
Taviel cannot save Rizal from his fate. The verdict is reached and the execution date is set
for December 30, 1896. Taviel admits to Rizal that he is ashamed to be a Spaniard. (source:
www.tomandcathymarking.com/reviews/jose_rizal.htm)

According to that review, the head of the Franciscan Friars arranged for a new governor that
would take over Philippines. And this governor ordered a show trial that the result had
already been decided which was the death of Dr. Jose Rizal.

Retraction

Some argued that Dr. Rizal wrote those anti-catholic passages on his letters, poems and
novels during the times when he was still excommunicated from his Catholic faith. So, he
was really an enemy of the Catholic Church of that time. But prior to his execution by firing
squad, he wrote a retracting letter which in turns rejecting all the things he wrote about the
Roman Catholic Church.

Well, it might be true that there was a retraction letter and it is said that this retraction
letter was really written by Rizal. However, the authenticity of this letter is still controversial
up to this day and many believed Rizal didn’t sign any retraction letter.

In 1912, Rizal’s family rejected a petition by the Jesuits to rebury the famous man. Instead
the honor was given to the Freemasons. On December 12, 1912, the remains of Rizal were
removed from his sister’s home to the Masonic Temple in the Tondo section of Manila. Led
by Sinukuan Lodge No. 305, several Lodges conducted a Masonic Service over the remains.
The next morning the Freemsons in full regalia marched in procession to his sister’s home
where Rizal’s remains were turned over to the government representatives. The remains
were then taken to the legislative building where government officials also held funeral
services before final internment at the Luneta.

There has been a controversy due to a claim by the Catholic Church that on the eve of his
execution Rizal had reembraced the church. The evidence refutes the claim. During his trial
no cleric came to the defense of Rizal. Church officials remained silent. Only many years
after his execution when Jose Rizal became known as the “George Washington” of the
Philippines did the Church make the claim. (source: calodges.org/ncrl/RIZAL.html)

Now, if the Rizal retraction is really true, then I think he did it not because he wanted to
embrace back his Catholic Faith but because of some family related reasons. But I actually
doubt if Dr. Rizal really wrote it because like him I am also an ex-Catholic and I also noticed
those unbiblical doctrines that the Catholic Church upheld. And that even to my death, I will
never embrace back the doctrines that I found out to be unbiblical.

Other sources:

1. www.wikipedia.com
2. philippinesfreepress.wordpress.com/2006/05/05/the-church-under-attack-may-5-1956