Rizal's early religious views were influenced by his involvement in Freemasonry in the Philippines and Spain in the late 1800s. He joined the predominantly Filipino Masonic Lodge Solidaridad in Madrid in 1891. The lodge, founded in 1889, had the dual purposes of educating members on Masonic ideals and enlisting political support among Spanish Freemasons for Filipino nationalist aspirations. Lodge Solidaridad and its newspaper La Solidaridad, aided by connections to the Gran Oriente Espanol Masonic federation, helped wage campaigns to weaken the influence of Catholic friars in the Philippines and gain representation for the Philippines in the Spanish parliament. However, Masonic support for the nationalist movement declined

1. RIZAL’S EARLY AND LATTER RELIGIOUS VIEWS

2. MASONRY

4. First lodges set up in Manila seem to date from the mid-1850’s formed by Spanish army officers followed by foreign merchants.

5. It is claimed that before 1872 Filipinos were admitted to lodge in Pandacan – eliminated by Gran Oriente de Espana in 1874.

6. Filipinos Lodges were introduced in 1891 by Filipino masons returning from Spain.

8. MIGUEL MORAYTA – recruited other Spain’s overseas provinces; founded HIJOS DEL PROGRESO and listed as honorary member of Lodge SOLIDARIDAD.

10. LODGE LUZ DE MANTUA – was formed in June 1887 by majority of Lodge Solidaridad including Jaena & other Cubans. Lodge Solidaridad apparently ceased only to be revived later as all Fil. lodge.C. LODGE REVOLUCION Predominantly Filipino, founded in Barcelona, Spain in April 1889, initiated by Spanish Army Officer Celso Mir Deas, married to Filipina.

12. Morayta went to Barcelona where he was honored with a banquet by Fil. – became friends with Del Pilar.

15. Expelled from the Philippines by Gen. Rafael Izquierdo; upon return to Spain published Los Frailes en Filipinas accusing the friars in the Phil. crimes and demanded dissolution of friars orders (i.e. Dominicans, Agustinians, Franciscan, etc.)

18. Del Pilar gives some idea to D. Cortes of his (del Pilar) relationship to Becerra:“ Sr. M. Lallave and his companies are going there to carry on some business which they will explain to you. Believing their interest to be antagonistic to those of certain monopolizers of the country, I would wish that, on your part and that of your friends, you would bestow every kind of protection on them, being assured that these gentlemen and the elements on whom they depend, with whom we are in complete understanding, are disposed to render us service in return.”

22. No evidence that anything was actually accomplished by these Masonic petitions.

25. Original membership included besides those already mentioned as officers in 1890, the following men: Antonio Luna, TelesforoSukgang, Ariston Bautista, Jose Yzama, Jose Alejandrino and Francisco Sunico.

28. 1894 January – Isidoro de los Santos – “Emigracionfilipina en los paisescivilizados.” (2) ENLISTING POLITICAL SUPPORT FOR FILIPINO NATIONALISTA ASPIRATIONS LA SOLIDARIDAD – newspaper for propaganda for Fil. Views and publicity for Phil. problems and as organ of the ASOCIACION HISPANO-FILIPINA edited by del Pilar; to rally the support of concerned Spaniards for Fil. interest – by means of public meetings and corporated representations to the govt. - Del Pilar employed lodge Solidaridad, affiliated with Gran OrienteEspanol to weaken or destroy the influence of the friars in the Phil.

33. Surviving records of Lodge Solidaridadextend only to 20 September 1894 when there is a communication to the Grand council informing it that Simon Mercado has been dropped from the list of the members.

36. Ponce and Del Pilar were promoted to 31st degree in May 1893 and by 1895 to 33rd degree and both were members of the Supreme Council of the Gran Oriente Espanol, Ponce holding the position of “Segundo Consejero Suplente” and Del Pilar that of “Gran Orador Adjunto”3.WENCESLAO RETANA, editor of La Politica de Espana en FILIPINAS and deputy to the Cortes denounced the head quarters of the Asociacion Hispano-Filipina and the Gran Oriente Espanol in Madrid as center of conspiracy against Spanish sovereignty in the Phil.

38. MORAYTA evaded arrest by crossing the boarder into France and in the town of BOURG-MADAME addressed the protest against the accusation of filibusterismo, denying that the Gran Oriente Espanol had nothing to do with any revolutionary activity in the Philippines. In September 1896 his case was dismissed for lack of evidence.

42. Del Pilar believed that assimilation could be attained by legal means, like RIZAL, had a further goal – “in due time and by proper method, the abolition of the flag of Spain as well” (letter of Marcelo to Deodato Arellano) Ponce who worked intimately with Del Pilar also knew this. Was Morayta aware of this? (the further goal)

44. Masonic connection did achieved some though limited success in rallying Masonic support for Fil. aims, notably in the matter of securing signatures for the petition of the Cortes.

45. Campaign to secure Filipino rights through propaganda; lobbying and other legal means – failure.

48. Rizal exposed the foibles (weakness of wicked priests; his witty gibes (utter tauntingly) at spinsters greedy of indulgences and rich usurers (referring to friars) trying to widen the gates of heaven or to sneak into Paradise in tattered habit (clothes) bought and sold with emeralds for a painted image, may even be defended as the righteous whipping of hypocrites and merchants ( referring to friars) from the Temple (church)

49. Rizal did not believe in the uses of scapulars girdles, votive candles and holy water.

51. Fray Bernardino, a Dominican, who had been rector of San Juan de Letran chose the Jesuits to “save” Rizal, re-convert him and to re-enlist him to Ramon Catholic Church.

57. SELF LOVE is the greatest good that God has given man for his perfection and integrity saving him from many base and unworthy actions when the precepts that he has been told and in which he has been trained are forgotten. Self love is worthy when it is not become a passion, is like a sap that drives the tree upward in search of the sun, steam that pushes the ship on its course restrained by judgment. Man is the masterpiece of creation, perfect within his limitations who cannot be deprived of any of his component parts, moral as well as physical, without becoming disfigured and unhappy.

62. Him a suitable name when some miserable creature down here with transient power, has two or three names, three or four surnames, and many titles and dignities? We call him Dios, but this at most only reminds us of the Latin deus, or the Greek Zeus. What is He like? I would attribute to Him in an infinite degree all the beautiful and holy qualities that my mind can conceive, if I were not restrained by the fear of my own ignorance. Someone has said that each one makes his God in his own image and likeness, and, if I remember rightly, Anacreon said that if the bull could conceive of a god, it would fancy that god horned and with mighty bellow.

65. PASTELLS – (after explaining that he was writing by analogy) God need not eyes to see or ears to hear…. God possesses what are called positive perfections in an infinite and absolute degree. (His) creatures participate in the perfections of God in a finite degree and by analogy. RIZAL – I believe in Revelation but not in the revelation or revelations which each religion or all religions claim to possess. Upon examining them, one cannot but recognize in all of them the human thumb print and the mark of time in which they were written. PATELLS – What thumb print and what mark? “Catholics mean that sacred books were written with Divine inspiration. Shall we deny that God was the author of the inspiration. xxx. As

66. long as the Catholic Churches recognized the Divine finger of inspiration behind the human thumbprint, it is enough to assure that the book of the Old and the New Testament, recognized as such by the Catholic Church, must be received by the faithful sacred. RIZAL – I believe in revelation, but in that living revelation of Nature with surrounds us on all sides, in that voice, potent, eternal, incessant, incorruptible, clear, distinct, universal, like the Being from which it comes, in that revelation with speaks to us and compenetrates us from the day we are born till the day we die. What books can better reveal to us the goodness, love, providence, eternity, glory and His wisdom? “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth His handiwork. xxx. “Instead of interpreting obscure passages

67. or ambiguous phrases, which have provoked hatreds wars and dissensions, would it not be better to interpret the facts of Nature in order to adapt our lives better to its invisible laws, using its forces from our own perfectioning? PASTELLS – but we are discussing revelation, properly seeking supernatural revelation given by God to man for his salvation. Living revelation of Nature does not teach us for our justification, sanctification and eternal salvation. We would be in complete darkness if in our soul does not brought lighthouse of supernatural hope based on faith in the revealed truths that God in His grace has given us. RIZAL – there are necessary and useful precepts, but God placed this in the conscience of man, His best temple, that is

68. why I would rather adore God who has endowed us with salvation, who keeps open His book of revelation through the voice of our conscience. PASTELLS – That voice is not incessant because, heard only from our conscience, how many times are its cries muffled by the callouses formed in it by a bad life? – all kinds of errors have been multiplied in all pages of history of people except in Christendom. RIZAL – I cannot believe that before the coming of Jesus Christ al peoples were buried in the profound chasm that you speak. Nor can I believe that after Christ all was light, peace and good fortune, that the majority of men turned just. No. I would be belied by the battlefields, faggots, prisons, acts of

69. violence, tortures of the inquisition, the hatred that Christian nations profess towards one another over petty differences, slavery and for 18 centuries, prostitution. PASTELLS – It was Jesus Christ who brought the world that true peace which made men who received it adopted sons of God and heirs of heaven. For this we are obliged to adore God … who opened for us the book of natural law and that of supernatural law depositing both in the infallible custody of the teaching of the Catholic Church… RIZAL – Your brilliant arguments cannot convince me that the Catholic Church is endowed with infallibility. It is an institution more perfect than the others, but human after all, with all the defects, errors and vicissitudes proper to the work of men.

70. PASTELLS – Christian religion has its branches in the hearts of the people, but it roots and foundation in the Christ from with it sprung. It is based on the will of God and the efficacy of supernatural grace by virtue of the merits of Christ. RIZAL – Who died on the Cross? Was it God or man? If it was God, I cannot understand how a God, conscious of His mission, could die, or how a God could exclaim in the garden: “Father, if Thou wilt, remove this chalice from me,” or how He could again exclaim from the Cross: “My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” This cry is absolutely human, it is the cry of a man who had faith in justice and the goodness of his cause; except for the “Tomorrow thou shalt be with me,” the works of Christ on Calvary all suggest a man in torment

71. and in agony, but what a man! For me, Christ – man is greater than the Christ – God. PASTELLS – Christ as man died on the Cross, that is to say, when Jesus Christ died, his soul left his body, and the person of Christ remained united in the soul and in the body… RIZAL – God cannot have created me for my harm; for what harm have I done Him before being created that He should will my damnation? Nor can He have created me for nothing, or in indifference. He must have created me for a good purpose, and for that end, I have nothing to guide me better than my conscience, and only conscience alone which judges and qualifies my acts.

72. PASTELLS – God must have created man for some good purpose attainable after this life, for, if God is just, where would He reward him who dies unjustly. To defend his justice? Where would He punish the sinner. God made me to love Him and serve Him in this life and to enjoy Him forever in the next. To attain this end the grace of God, the merits of Jesus Christ, and our own good works, are needed. RIZAL – ended his last letter to the Jesuit with a characteristic gesture “who is more foolishly proud: he who is content to follow his own judgment, or he who proposes to impose on others not even what his own reason declares but only what seems to him to be the truth? The reasonable has never seemed foolish to me, and pride has always shown itself in the idea of imposition.”

73. THE RETRACTION OF RIZAL

77. They discussed criterion of faith, authority of church, its infallibility & divine teaching mission, the power to make miracles, Holy Scripture, Purgatory, variations among Protestant Churches, etc. – a thousand times refuted with unanswerable arguments.

78. Balaguer – if he (Rizal) did not surrender his mind and reason to faith he will surely be damned. Rizal answered. “No I shall not be damned.”

79. Balaguer- “yes you will go to hell” outside the Catholic Church there is no salvation.”

81. Text of the Retraction Letter 29th of December 1896 “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 condition as a son of the Church. I believe and profess whatever she teaches, and submit myself to whatever she commands. I abhor Masonry as the enemy that it is of the Church and as society prohibited by the same Church. The diocesan prelate, as the superior ecclesiastical authority, can make public this my spontaneous declaration to repair the scandal that my actions may have caused, and so that God and men may forgive me. Manila, 29th of December 1896 JOSE RIZAL”

84. of whom must have been supposed to die impenitent and unshriven? f) Why were there no requiem masses made for the repose of his soul? g) Why was a copy of his retraction not furnished his family despite their requests? h) Why was a certificate of marriage between Rizal and Josephine Bracken similarly withheld, and why has it not been produced to this date? How odd that the original of the retraction should be found only 30 years after? j) How curious that the wording of the handwritten document should differ from the versions first published by the press, by Retana, and by the Jesuits!

86. d) Can it be really believed that Rizal asked insistently for the formula of retraction and that it was withheld from him for a time deliberately? e) Why should he recant in his death cell when he had refused to recant in Dapitan? f) How could he “believe and profess” whatever the Catholic Church taught, and “submit” to whatever she commanded, when he had explicitly rejected, in his correspondent with Pastells, the divine authority of the Church of Rome? g) How could he declare his “abhorrence” of Masonry as an enemy of the Church, when as a Mason, he knew that it was not? And then to go to Confession three, four times in succession, to hear two Masses on his knees, to read out his recantation before the altar in the presence of his

87. jailers, to sign acts of faith, hope and charity, to put on sodalist’s medal he had brushed aside only a few hours before, what could be the motive of these absurd extremes of self-abasement? h) What did he have to gain? Heaven? He did not believe in Heaven. Yet How much he had to lose! It would give the lie to his novels, overthrow his life’s work, send him to the grave with a stain upon his character. ANSWERS: - It would appear that Dona Teodora said goodbye to Rizal on the afternoon of the 29th of December and did not see him on the day of his execution, after his conversion the night before.

89. Rizal body was buried secretly and his grave placed under guard for political reason – it was feared that some insurgents who fought under the banner of his name might unearth his body to revere it as a rationalistic relic or to propagate a myth about his survival or resurrection.