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Is it true that Dr. Jose Rizal, the national hero of the Philippines, is a heretic? If that is true it is so sad to say that the cradle of Catholicism in Asia is honoring as national hero, a catholic heretic.
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In principio erat Verbum et Verbum erat apud Deum et Deus erat Verbum.....et Verbum caro factum est et habitavit in nobis
The people of Padre Garcia had every reason to celebrate the town's fiftieth or golden anniversary last December 1. Now they know the history of their town and they can answer anybody who asks "Who is Padre Garcia?"
In times past many residents were hesitant to say they come from Padre Garcia. Perhaps because of its smallness and little-known status, they would say they are from Rosario. Which is somehow correct. For Padre Garcia town broke away from what is now known as Rosario.
Now they are proud and elated that their own town has a history all its own and a hero worthy of admiration and emulation. Credit for its effort in tracking down the history of the town and its hero goes to the incumbent mayor, Victor Garcia. He desires that his town mates be imbued with a sense of history and appreciation of the heroism of Padre Vicente Teodoro Garcia.
Encouraged and aided by the Centennial Commission, the town's Local Historical Committee started the research and recovery in August 1998. Committee members went as far as Manila and Nueva Caceres in Bicol in search of data about the priest. In the process they were able to locate existing descendants of Padre Garcia who helped in piecing together the priest's biography and collating memorabilia left by the deceased.
Padre Garcia was born in the village of Maugat, formerly a part of Rosario but now a barangay of Padre Garcia, on April 5, 1817 to parents Don Jose Garcia and Dona Andrea Teodoro. His family belonged to the upper classes and had Castillian blood. The faint photograph of the man among the exhibits in the town hall show a handsome mestizo. Another proof was that Vicente went to study for the priesthood while pure-blooded Filipinos at that time were not able to study because of poverty and discrimination.
He himself suffered discrimination from his Spanish superiors because although he was nominated for the position of Canonigo Magistral, he didn't occupy it. The colonizers didn't see fit to have an indio even if he is a mestizo in any exalted position.
There are anecdotes of his admirable qualities such as his kindness and generosity and his proficiency in Spanish and Latin. He was himself a writer who translated Spanish and Latin literary pieces. One of his more notable works was his translation from the original Latin to Tagalog of the Imitacion de Cristo.
Padre Garcia's place in history comes not only from his admirable qualities as a human being. Although a member of the church, he had the courage to defend Rizal from the tirades and censure of the Catholic church. His letter of defense was originally intended to be given to Fr Rodriguez, an Augustinian friar. However, his friends dissuaded him from doing so. The letter was published in La Solidaridad on March 15, 1895.
In his defense-letter the priest belied Fr Rodriguez's accusation that Rizal was an "impious man, a heretic who hated religion and Spain." According to Padre Garcia while the friar was quick to issue such accusations, he failed to cite any proposition made by Rizal that showed his "impiety, heresy, or blasphemy." Padre Garcia then proceeded to cite various phrases in the Noli that showed the hero to be the exact opposite of the heretic and blasphemer that Fr Rodriguez had accused him of being. He signed his name as V. Caraig. Padre Garcia came home to Rosario in 1899 and in July of that year he died at the age of 82. In determining whether the bones interred in the old cemetery were those of the priest, the historical committee sought the help of University of the Philippines professor and anthropologist Jerome Bailen and his team of experts. Bailen says that based on historical data and technical description the bones found in the old cemetery are those of Padre Garcia.
Last July 12, 1999 his remains were re-interred in the church of the Holy Rosary in the town proper of Padre Garcia (the old seat of the township of Rosario). The church was built in 1776 predating even the basilica of Batangas City.
Rizal is a mason and the Church has it's stand on those who joins freemasonry.
Peace!
Jose Rizal supposedly had written a retraction of his ties with the Masonry. This retraction was said to have been discovered by Fr. Garcia in 1935. Other versions are posted on this site but I don't understand Spanish: http://www.joserizal.ph/rt02.html. Whether or not Rizal is a mason is probably not an issue since he is not being honored as a canonized saint.
As much as I hated the mandatory course on Rizal that I took in UP, Rizal is honored as a national hero because of his love for his country.
I declare myself a catholic and in this Religion in which I was born and educated I wish to live and die.
I retract with all my heart whatever in my words, writings, publications and conduct has been contrary to my character as son of the Catholic Church. I believe and I confess whatever she teaches and I submit to whatever she demands. I abominate Masonry, as the enemy which is of the Church, and as a Society prohibited by the Church. The Diocesan Prelate may, as the Superior Ecclesiastical Authority, make public this spontaneous manifestation of mine in order to repair the scandal which my acts may have caused and so that God and people may pardon me.
Manila 29 of December of 1896
Jose Rizal
When I fall crazy in love I would do the same just to fulfill it.
In the last days of February 1895, while still in Dapitan, Rizal met an 18-year old petite Irish girl, with bold blue eyes, brown hair and a happy disposition. She was Josephine Bracken, the adopted daughter of George Taufer from Hong Kong, who came to Dapitan to seek Rizal for eye treatment. Rizal was physically attracted to her. His loneliness and boredom must have taken the measure of him and what could be a better diversion that to fall in love again. But the Rizal sisters suspected Josephine as an agent of the friars and they considered her as a threat to Rizal’s security.Rizal asked Josephine to marry him, but she was not yet ready to make a decision due to her responsibility to the blind Taufer. Since Taufer’s blindness was untreatable, he left for Hon Kong on March 1895. Josephine stayed with Rizal’s family in Manila. Upon her return to Dapitan, Rizal tried to arrange with Father Antonio Obach for their marriage. However, the priest wanted a retraction as a precondition before marrying them. Rizal upon the advice of his family and friends and with Josephine’s consent took her as his wife even without the Church blessings. Josephine later give birth prematurely to a stillborn baby, a result of some incidence, which might have shocked or frightened her.
7:00 – 8:00 a.m.
Rizal is transferred to his death cell. Fr. Saderra talks briefly with Rizal. Fr. Viza
presents statue of the Sacred Heartof Jesus and medal of Mary. Rizal rejects the latter, saying , "Im little of a Marian, Father." Source: Fr. Viza.
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 and Rizal. Sources: El Imarcial and Rizal y su Obra.
Honestly, I respect him as a hero nothing else.
Peace!
__________________ Ad majorem Dei honorem et gloriam!
I'm British but I've been married to a filipina for 24 years and now live here permanently. I've read the books written by Rizal and books written about Rizal. Frankly I consider him to be a true hero of the filipino people.
My belief is that the slander about him being a heretic and a mason was maliciously spread by some corrupt priests and friars because Rizal highlighted their corruption. He was not against the Church. He was against the few corrupt priests and friars who colluded with the cruel Spanish regime and they sought silence him in every way possible.
Rizal was a filipino hero and a true and faithful Catholic.
I had an opportunity to have a discussion with a person so devoted to Rizal that he studied everything about him. He's an attorney but unfortunately I forgot his name. He had the same insight that the slander about Rizal being a heretic and a mason was maliciously spread by some corrupt priests and friars because Rizal highlighted their corruption. He was not against the Church. He was against the few corrupt priests and friars who colluded with the cruel Spanish regime and they sought silence him in every way possible. When I asked him how much do you know Freemasonry its works and goals against the Church? That he agreed to have little knowledge. It is very unfortunate that sometimes we forget that going against a priest or a friar for its misdeeds should not develop into going against the Church. This is what happened to Rizal. He did questioned a lot of the Church's teachings just to name one the most known arguement he raised is against purgatory. So for me that is not being faithful.
Honestly, Rizal is also my hero and I admire him. He did us Filipinoes a great favor of savoring freedom. He is a good model as a hero. But then that's all that he is, our hero.
If only people would try to study the time of Rizal from the Spaniards angle I guess it would be fair enough that it was the Spanish government who landed Rizal into tribunal not the Church which its pastors tried even in his last hours to convince him to retract.
Peace!
mongladz
__________________ Ad majorem Dei honorem et gloriam!
I'm no historian, but it appears that even if Rizal were not a Mason, the Katipunan was patterned on Masonry, and its members (or the bosses anyway) Masons. And the Katipunan looked to Rizal as their inspiration.
Even the Philippine flag is generally believed to be of Masonic design.
I agree with those who believe the retraction was a forgery or, under extreme duress, Rizal was coerced. Some of the reasons put forward are:
1. Josephine Bracken was never married to Rizal in a Catholic ritual which means that the Church still considered Rizal a heretic. She could not claim Rizal's property, like his library, because she was not legally married to him.
2. Rizal was not buried in sanctified ground (church property) but outside it for the same reason.
3. Signing a retraction under duress invalidates its authenticity.
4. Some handwriting experts attest to the retraction document as a forgery.
5. It is unlikely that Rizal who defined himself by his actions, writings and beliefs could repudiate his true religion (a form of X'tian deism) overnight.
Mike de Leon's film Bayani 3rd World features the issue of Rizal's retraction.
It's things like these that make me wonder about the sincerity of the so-called Philippine Revolution, and can't help but wonder if it wasn't more about anti-clericalism than true independence.
I for one am a Filipino, but would rather have seen the Philippines become remain a Commonwealth of the United States if not a full province of Spain. I think independence is the worst thing to have happened to us.
Sometimes claimed in jest to be Hitler's true father and Jack the Ripper. I'm not kidding.
I studied in a Catholic school (it wasn't cheap ) from elementary to high school, and we had to read his two novels in class (translated from the original Spanish, presumably unexpurgated as one could buy the editions in most bookstores). From what I remember, he criticizes hypocrisy and blind and improperly schooled faith more than the Catholic faith itself. Two Spanish friars are cast in a bad light (one has a daughter), and a Filipino priest is cast in a good light.
Catholic Answers
Jose Rizal.. a heretic?
This popped up out of nowhere...
I'm not kidding.
) from elementary to high school, and we had to read his two novels in class (translated from the original Spanish, presumably unexpurgated as one could buy the editions in most bookstores). From what I remember, he criticizes hypocrisy and blind and improperly schooled faith more than the Catholic faith itself. Two Spanish friars are cast in a bad light (one has a daughter), and a Filipino priest is cast in a good light.
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