Program: Topic: Nursing the wounds & Religion, Church &

Politics
Course: Mabini’s Life, Works and Writings Instructor Eva Marie O. Robles
:
Code TCCR01 Module #: 7 Week #: 14-15 # of Page: 13

I. Preliminaries
Introduction to the
 This module aims to understand the topic about Nursing the Wounds and the
Module Objective importance of Religion, Church and Politics.
 Appreciate the value of courage in the hardship situation like Mabini did.

Section Topics Learning Outcomes Assessment/ Modality

Evaluation

Section 1:Nursing the Wounds 1. Describe e situation of 1. Written Using module

Mabini and his family exercises
Section 2:Religion, Church & during the times of war Social media
and how they deal with 2. Activity platform
Politics the religion, church Assignment
and politics. and Research
2. Determine how Mabini Presentation
face the challenges
during this time.

II. Instructions
Autonomous – Self-governing

Inveterate - Established

Contemporary – Current

Amendments - Revision

Rudiments - Fundamentals

Providential - Advantageous

Anticlerical - Secular

TANAUAN CITY COLLEGE TCCR01-MODULE 7 MABINI’S LIFE, WORKS AND WRITINGS

 Content Lecture/ Discussion
Nursing the Wounds

 May 11, 1899

Mabini left Cabanatuan, proceeded to Talavera, Umingan upon invitation of officials He

decided to go with Cayo Alzona, his private secretary, to Bangulaw, on the belief that its
warm and satin spring would help him recover his health where he tasted the sweetness of
a perfect life.

 May 31, 1899

Aguinaldo accepted the resignation of Mabini cabinet, and another commission had already
formed with Buencamino as its chairman. It was understood that this commission was to
work for an “autonomous constitution” within the framework of the Sovereignty of the United
States. Although Mabini resigned he continued to help Aguinaldo and make him understand
the things he had to assert as President.

 July 18

Finding no improvement of his health he moved to Rosales, Pangasinan and move from
place to place. Mabini was kept posted on all these happenings and he sometimes even
received letters from Paterno and Buencamino asking him for his opinion and policies.
Possibly these people wanted Mabini to agree with their way of thinking or at least prevent
him from putting stumbling blocks to their own particular plan for attaining peace.

 Mabini claimed, he was not interested in holding any political office on the excuse that his
health would not allow it, but he was going to write articles in the revolutionary press as an
expression of his patriotic efforts and as a contribution to the war effort.

 Mabini wrote his “Al Pueblo de los Estados Unidos de la America, delNorte.”

 Al pueblo de los Estados Unidos de la America,del Norte

This lengthy article representing a faithful account of contemporary events appealed to the
American sense of justice regarding their interpretation of the events leading to the
outbreak of hostilities and their history and political tradition of sympathize with a people
“who were fighting in the defence of their liberties and independence.”
TANAUAN CITY COLLEGE TCCR01-MODULE 7 MABINI’S LIFE, WORKS AND WRITINGS
  Some of Mabini’s best writings on political philosophy were penned in Rosales. But his
writings were not confined to articles of this sort and for foreign consumption.

 August 23, 1899

Mabini, on account of Aguinaldo’s persuasion, was elected by congress to become Chief

Justice of the Supreme Court, Gracio Gonzaga was also elected Solicitor general.

When Mabini heard unofficially of hid election he did not hesitate to write to a close friend
that such an act would make Bautista and Paterno unhappy since both men did not like him
and had often charged with fostering dissensions and forming a partisan group.

 Mabini’s received a great number of letters from friends and admirers congratulating him in
his election, although he was not yet officially informed of his election and much less of
Aguinaldo’s confirmation.

 Mabini declared that he would express his opinion on the judicial system; he then proposed
three radical reforms to be implemented as long as the war was going on.

First proposal – In in spite of the constitutional provisions to the contrary he would

reorganize the whole judicial system and participate in the choice of the associate
members& dismissal from the court on account of abuse or incompetent.

Second-proposed reform asked that the army be represented in the judicial process
by the formation of an organization to be composed of army officials known for their
competence, honor and morality, to be charged with helping the tribunals of justice. This
command the necessary obedience to the laws and to duly constituted authorities.

Third – as long as the emergency lasted, the supreme court was to be authorized to
recommend the congress by means of messages, both procedural & substantive laws for
the speedy and beneficial administration of justice.

 These proposed amendments were enough to justify the Cabinet’s lack of sympathy for
Mabini’s being chief justice.

 Aguinaldo’s consultation of Mabini on the last act of the Government in attempting to deal
with the Americans only demonstrated that Mabini still enjoyed the confidence of the latter.
Those others officials consented or possibly insisted to discover Mabini’s stand on the

TANAUAN CITY COLLEGE TCCR01-MODULE 7 MABINI’S LIFE, WORKS AND WRITINGS

 problem of independence.

 Mabini’s tree proposals are not acceptable to his political enemies thats why they
oppose his election as the Chief Majesty of the country. However, Mabini took the
matter personally and would not allow the provocation to escape unchallenged.

 September 19, 1899

Published his article “Contestaction a unaconsulta”, where he ably demonstrated that

nothing illegal was committed by Congress in electing him as Chief Justice since it was
acting within its powers. Mabini then further asked the question: “Was there anything extra-
legal in the electoral action on August 23, because one of the elected persons was a man
without feet?” Contending that a man without feet was quite a curiosity.

 Mabini invited Mr. Zerzarian to discover as a greater curiosity that a person without feet
might nevertheless have the power to discharge the office of Chief Justice. “Did the job of
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court require continuous walking?”

 Mabini’s ready answer was that all what was required was a good and clear mind. And
finally, of Mr. Zezarian “doubted the competence of a person to hold office on account of his
inability to use his legs, what made him think that his difficulties could be resolved by a
paralytic?”

 He claimed further that his article on the Supreme Court was an honest and sincere effort to
expose what he believed was beneficial to the country. What resulted from all these were
that Mabini never got Aguinaldo’s confirmation on account of pressure from his political
enemies on the latter’s?

TANAUAN CITY COLLEGE TCCR01-MODULE 7 MABINI’S LIFE, WORKS AND WRITINGS

 RELIGION, CHURCH AND POLITICS

Mabini’s Personal Religion

 As a child, Mabini learned some of the rudiments of the Catholic faith on the lap of his
mother. Mabini grew in an atmosphere where the religious motive was predominant and
where the community centered around the parish church. Ideas and beliefs consciously
rejected sometimes.
 The attitude towards the Church and its ministers is often a function of one’s belief. One’s
religiosity can sometimes make him gloss over some undesirable actions of his church. The
lack of religiosity enables some persons to be devoid of any sympathy towards the Church.

 Mabini had also disregarded revelation as a source for the foundations of law and morality.
The conception of God in the True Decalogue was less a providential one than a deistic
one. Mabini claimed that the truths of his Decalogue were “commandments of God
communicated to men by means of their reason.”

 Mabini grew in an atmosphere where the religious motive was predominant and where the
community centred on the parish church. As a boy, he was given the religious education
normally found at that time and his religiosity became evident when he was a student at
Padre Malabanan’s school.

 To appreciate further why Mabini and people of the same grain would find themselves in
conflict with the friars, it is imperative to discuss briefly the official stand of the friars against
the reformers, revolutionists, and other anticlerical as revealed in their Memorial of 1898.

Anticlericalism in the Philippines

 Mabini was a anticlerical to the core. The loss of his childhood religion and his
anticlericalism appeared hand in hand. The reason for this double development is found in
the political and intellectual influences on Mabini.

 Mabini’s attitude s towards Religion, and therefore toward the clergy, were due to his
reading of Rizal’s novels and La Solidaridad, and articles written by liberal thinkers from
Europe. Furthermore his connection with Masonry intensified his anticlericalism.

 The Catholic Church and clergy bitterly fought Masonry in Europe and in other places in the
world. Mabini belong to this breed. Mabini hated the friars in the Philippines who m he
called, “leeches with cowls”. But there is no evidence that he disliked Filipino priest.

TANAUAN CITY COLLEGE TCCR01-MODULE 7 MABINI’S LIFE, WORKS AND WRITINGS

  Anticlericalism was propagated in the Philippines by ilustrados, especially those active in
the Reform Movement, by some Spaniards who brought anticlerical ideas to the colony
from the mother country.

 Filipino reformers like Rizal, Del Pilar, and a host of others were, strictly speaking, products
of the kind of liberalism then existing in Europe by the end of the nineteenth century. It was
a kind of liberalism committed to the separation of Church and State.

April 21, 1898

 Some anticlerical claimed that they were fighting not against religion as such but against
the clergy or Church as organized by the clergy, others openly attacked religion as well .
This was the atmosphere in which Filipino reformers in Europe breathed and worked. Soon
their ideas would be transported to the Philippines to be imbibed by men like Adriano and
Mabini.

 Similar to what happened in Europe, the properties of the Church and the religious
corporations excited the envy of people and added further fuel to anticlericalism.

 In a letter to Otis on November 3,1898, explaining why the Revolutionary government did
not want to release its friar prisoners who mounted to about four hundred, Mabini observed:

 The religious corporations in the Philippines have created large agricultural plantation by
fraud. Formerly, the Filipinos, on account of their piety, donated provided for. But as time
went on, those who succeeded the early priest in their spiritual labour made these offerings
obligatory and then took possession of the lands to be ensured of these offerings. The
owners were thus reduced into tenants. They could not contest their despoliation for fear of
vengeance on the part of Spanish authorities who sided with the priest because they were
bribed to do so.

 The Filipino priests were able to gain a better ear in Spain, while some Filipino priests, in
many cases, not only supported the Reform Movement but even during the Revolution in
1896.

Mabini and the reformers were fighting for the construction of a new national life
transcending class regional differences, the Filipino priest, in the secularization controversy,
were fighting for their class as proponents of a way of life dominated by the religious
motive. Mabini had a clear eye when he perceived that the three martyred Filipino priests,
Burgos, Gomez, and Zamora “worked for the rights of a [priestly] class and not for the
people in general…” Consequently. He wrote that his sympathy for the struggle of the
Filipino priests was based more on matters of principles of justice rather than love for the
priestly class.

 There is no reason to question Mabini’s genuine sympathy for the attempts of Filipino
priests to occupy all Filipino parishes as well as their eventual control of all the highest
ecclesiastical offices in the country. He had become a partisan of their struggle long before
he had to retire from political office. In the above-mentioned letter to Otis, he lectured:

 According to the canon law of the Roman Church, the regular clergy cannot minister to the
cure of souls reserved to members of the secular clergy to which the Filipino priests belong.
Nevertheless, the regulars, in order to keep their position as parish priests in the towns of
TANAUAN CITY COLLEGE TCCR01-MODULE 7 MABINI’S LIFE, WORKS AND WRITINGS
 the Philippines, have deceived the Vatican and foreign public opinion. They pictured the
above towns as abodes of savages which required constant care by the missionary friars in
order to prevent the natives from reverting to their ancient idolatrous practices.

 (Dominicans, Augustinians, Recollects, and Franciscans) The representatives of four friar

orders and the Jesuits in the Philippines presented a lengthy memorial addressed to the
Governor General with the request that it be relayed to the Spanish Monarch.

 Aside from their political and religious ideology, the friars were Spaniards, and therefore
were also led to fight the revolutionists as enemies of the Spanish crown. Since the friars
controlled the organization of the Church, they were closely associated with it, and thus, the
Church, in the hands of the friars, ran the risk of being interpreted as against the
Revolution.

 The Conception of a Secular State on account of the intellectual influences on him as well
as the historical connection between the Spanish Church and the Spanish colonial system,
and further on account of the connections of the of the friars with these institutions, Mabini
Began to look at the Church as an institution unable to serve as an inspiration and sanction
to newly created national and social needs.

 Mabini’s use of the phrase “universal morality” signifies that Masonic and secular ideas of
morality had deeply influenced him. The use of the phrase is quite deliberate especially
when it’s noted that it was substituted for the phrase “Christian Morality” in a provision
borrowed from the Spanish Constitution of 1876, which provided many principles for Mabini.
This provision state “No one will be molested in Spanish territory for his religious opinions
or the exercise of his particular worship, saving the respect due to Christian Morality.”

“The Friar Memorial of 1898

 To appreciate further why Mabini and people of the same grain would find themselves in
conflict with the friars. It is imperative to discuss briefly the official stand of the friars against
the reformers, revolutionists, and other anticlerical as revealed in their Memorial of 1898.

 The friars controlled the organization of the Church, they were closely associated with it,
TANAUAN CITY COLLEGE TCCR01-MODULE 7 MABINI’S LIFE, WORKS AND WRITINGS
 and thus, the Church, in the hands of the friars, ran the risk of being interpreted as against
the Revolution. It was a risk that was also unavoided since the Spanish Church was closely
intertwined with the institutions and organs of the Spanish colonial system.

The Conception of a Secular State

 On account of the intellectual influences on him as well as the historical connections

between the Spanish Church and the Span

 It colonial system, and further on account of the connections of the friars with these
institutions, Mabini began to look at the Church as an institution unable to serve as an
inspiration and sanction to newly created national and social needs.

 Mabini’s use of the phrase “universal morality” signifies that Masonic and secular ideas of
morality had deeply influenced him. The use of the phrase is quite deliberate especially
when it is noted that it was substituted for the phrase “Christian morality” in a provision
borrowed from the Spanish Constitution of 1876, which provided many principles for Mabini.

 Mabini was convinced that morality was detachable from religion. The source and sanction
of morality were reasons and conscience. In one of his articles regarding religious freedom
he wrote.

 What the people desire is that the State as a moral entity… should not profess any specific
religion and should allow the individuals the full liberty to choose the religion that pleases
them most; that it should not oblige any inhabitant under physical coercion to profess and
support a religion which he finds repugnant to his conscience; that it allow the Catholics to
support their parishes, the Protestants to support their pastors, and all other sects their
respective priests and religious teachers.

 It was the institution of civil marriage and other acts of Mabini that led Calderon to judge
Mabini as a secretarial with a strong anti-Catholic feeling, and the Revolutionary
government as permeated with the spirit of Masonry.

 That such a judgement would come from Calderon was understandable, for although he
was himself a rabid anti friar, he believed that the Catholic religion administered by Filipino
priests could still contribute greatly to the lives of the people, as well as serve as a cohesive
bond for Filipinos. Calderon believed, too, that the radical ideas of Mabini might alienate
part of the people from the Revolution if this kept up what he believed to constitute an anti-
Catholic spirit. Mabini, on the other hand, viewed national ideals and commitments to a
definite core of liberal ideas as the more important cohesive and integrative factors.

 Mabini wrote a memorandum to the cabinet on December 13,1898, stating that one of his
reasons against the promulgation of the Constitution was that “it was not expedient to
establish openly the separation of church and states during these difficult times, giving
cause for the withdrawal of the suporters of religion.”

 It is interesting to note that during the discussions regarding the relations between Church
and States in Congress, the Filipino clergy fought the idea of separation. Theier spokesmen
argued that Filipino society should have a religion, that of the majoriy. The Catholic religion
was then asserted to be the cohesive force for the family and nation.

TANAUAN CITY COLLEGE TCCR01-MODULE 7 MABINI’S LIFE, WORKS AND WRITINGS

 The Natural Church

 It will be recalled that as revolutionary territory increased in1898, more Filipino priest fell
under the power of the Revolutionary government. It was also evident that some of these
priests still hearkened to the orders of Nozaleda. After some mild threats of Filipino priests
who still showed loyalty to Nozaleda, the Revolutionary government encouraged their
organization under Aglipay. It was an organization that was loose and informal at the
beginning but which, with the recognition of Aglipay as the superior of the Filipino priests by
the Revolutionary Government, became progressively more cohesive.

 In October, 1899, Mabini prepared the document to be signed by Filipino priests

rationalizing their formal organization under an elected ecclesiastical council.

 On October 23, Filipino priests met at Panique, Tarlac. A formal organization was
established and a delegation elected to get Papal approval for the nomination of Filipino
bishops. For all practical purposes a national church had been formed.

 Mabini’s role in encouraging and accelerating the formation of the National Church might
have been logically devoid of religious and theological considerations. It was a role that can
be judged as inveterate enemies of the Revolution.

 Mabini’s working for a Church group was not necessarily inconsistent with his principle of
religious freedom for all. It was dictated motives; essentially, it represented a response to a
given historical situation.

 The document repeated the old argument that since the Philippine had ceased to become a
Spanish colony and Spanish prelates were unable to exercise their jurisdiction in
revolutionary territory, it had become necessary to have Filipino bishops.

 It was claimed that the Spanish prelates had lost their power of authorizing Filipino priests
to take care of the Filipino faithful because the Philippine diocese had severed its
connection with the Spanish Crown.

TANAUAN CITY COLLEGE TCCR01-MODULE 7 MABINI’S LIFE, WORKS AND WRITINGS

  Mabini wanted to strengthen the Filipino clergy, for this implied the corresponding
elimination, if not reduction, of the power of the friars he hated and judged as inveterate
enemies of the Revolution.

 Mabini’s working for a Church group was not necessarily inconsistent with his principle of
religious freedom for all was dictated by political motives, essentially, it represented a
response to a given historical situation. He did not deny that church could contribute its
particular values to society.

III. Viable and vibrant Activities

Description of the Learning Activities

Learning task 1
Answer the following questions
1. How did Mabini nurse his wounds during the time of Revolutionary congress.
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2. Does Mabini helped Aguinaldo upon his resignation has been approved? How do you say
so? Prove your answer.
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3. How does religion, church and politics helped change life of Mabini. Cite an instances to
prove your answers.
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Learning task 2
Make a comic strip to describe the situation of Mabini and his family during the time of war and
how religion, church and politics helped them to recovered or defeated.

IV. Opportunity to reflect and articulate students’ acquired knowledge.

Criteria for evaluation

TANAUAN CITY COLLEGE TCCR01-MODULE 7 MABINI’S LIFE, WORKS AND WRITINGS
Learning task 1 Rubrics

Needs Improvement Approaching Good Excellent

1pt. Standards 3 pts. 4 pts.
2 pts.
Ideas and Content
There is no clear or You put thought into What you are writing
What you are writing
specific explanation this, but there is no about is clear. You
about is clear and
in answer to the real evidence of answered the
well-expressed,
question. learning. More question. Some
including specific
specific information support may be
examples to
is needed or you lacking, or your
demonstrate what
need to follow the sentences may be a
you learned. Well
directions more bit awkward. Overall,
done!
closely. a decent job.

Use of terms
No terms from the Only one term from Your answer Your answer
lesson are used. the lesson is used in included several included all the
the answer. Try for a terms from the terms from the
few more, next time. lesson, lesson that applied
demonstrating to the question
adequate asked. All terms are
understanding of the fully defined and
material. used in the proper
context.

Sentence Fluency
Sentences are Some sentences are Sentences are Sentences are
incomplete or too complete and easy complete and able to complete and they
long. It makes to understand. be understood. connect to one
reading them Others require some another easily when
difficult. work. they are read out
loud. Your writing
'flows.'

Conventions
Few end marks or Mistakes using end Use of punctuation No punctuation or
capital letters. marks or capitals as marks and capitals, structural mistakes.
Answers contain well as spelling as well as spelling, is No spelling errors.
numerous spelling or mistakes make the mostly correct. Few Your writing shows
structural errors. writing hard to read. errors exist in your full awareness of the
answer. rules of English use.

Learning Task 2 Rubrics

Category 31-40 21-30 11-20 1-10

Creativity The pictures and All but 1 of the All but 2 of the More than 2 of the
captions reflect an pictures and pictures and pictures and
exceptional degree captions reflect an captions reflect an captions reflect little
of student creativity. exceptional degree exceptional degree degree of student
There is great of student creativity. of student creativity. creativity.
attention to detail.

Characters and The main characters The main characters The main characters It is hard to tell who
Dialogue are clearly identified, are clearly identified, are identified but not the main characters
and their actions and and their actions and well developed and are.
dialogue are well- dialogue match most their actions and
TANAUAN CITY COLLEGE TCCR01-MODULE 7 MABINI’S LIFE, WORKS AND WRITINGS
 matched to each of the time. dialogue are too
other. general.

Theme All 20 panels relate Only 15 panels Only 15 panels Less than 10 panels
to the theme. relate to the theme. relate to the theme. relate to the theme.

Landscape and Landscape and Landscape and Landscape and Landscape and
Props props are directly props are directly props are generally props seem
related to the theme related to the theme related to the theme randomly chosen
or purpose of the or purpose of the or purpose of the OR distract the
comic and enhance comic. comic. reader.
understanding of the
scene.

Spelling, There are no There are 1-3 There are 4-5 There are more than
Punctuation, and spelling, spelling, spelling, 5 spelling,
Grammar punctuation, or punctuation, or punctuation, and punctuation, and
grammar errors. grammar errors.. grammar errors. grammar errors.

Summary
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Reflection

1. I already knew
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TANAUAN CITY COLLEGE TCCR01-MODULE 7 MABINI’S LIFE, WORKS AND WRITINGS

 _________________________________________________________________________________________________
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2. I learned
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3. I still want to know
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V. Textbooks and other References

Majul, Cesar A. (2004). Apolinario Mabini Revolutionary. National Historical Institue, Philippines

TANAUAN CITY COLLEGE TCCR01-MODULE 7 MABINI’S LIFE, WORKS AND WRITINGS