Jose Protacio Mercado Rizal Alonso y Realonda, was born on June 19, 1861. He was a Filipino polymath, patriot and one of the most prominent advocate for reform in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial era.
He is regarded as the foremost Filipino patriot and listed as one of the national heroes of the Philippines. Born to a rich family in Calamba, Laguna. Seventh of eleven children.
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| Dr. Jose P. Rizal, National Hero of the Philippines. |
Rizal attended the Ateneo de Municipal Manila earning a Bachelor of Arts, and he enrolled in Medicine at the University of Santo Tomas.
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| The Church of the Gesu in Ateneo de Manila University a CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY where our National Hero studied. |
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| The Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas a CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY and one of the schools of our national hero. |
Rizal wrote the novels "Noli me Tangere" and "El Filibusterismo". The Anti-life of today , use this novels to prove that, if Jose P. Rizal where here today he would join the Pro-RH Camp against the Catholic Church. They thought that our national hero is against the Catholic Church. If that's the case, why did Rizal chose to study in Ateneo de Municipal Manila and University of Santo Tomas which are Catholic Institutions? Don't they know that Dr. Jose P. Rizal confessed before he was executed? It was confirmed by one of our historians Leon Ma. Guerrero.
"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 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 a 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
[Leon Ma. Guerrero, The First Filipino (Manila: Guerrero Publishing Inc., 2007) pp. 485-486]
Another proof that Dr. Jose P. Rizal retracted.
“3:00 ng umaga ng Disyembre 30, 1896, NAKINIG NG MISA SI RIZAL, NANGUMPISAL, AT NANGUMUNYON.”
[Gregorio and Sonia Zaide, Jose Rizal Centennial Book (Quezon City: All-Nations Publishing Co., 1999) p. 328.]
Another one from Dr. Jose P. Rizal's great-grandnephew:
“But even if Rizal had not written his retraction holograph and signed the act of Catholic faith in the prayerbook, HIS CONVERSION IS STILL UNDENIABLE ON ACCOUNT OF THE SACRAMENTS OF PENANCE AND EUCHARIST HE RECEIVED DURING THE LAST HOURS. It is on record that the national hero received the sacrament of Penance 4 times and received Holy Communion fervently during a Mass, vefore proceeding to bagumbayan for the execution.”
[Fr. Marciano Malvar Guzman, The Truth About Rizal Essays by a Great-Grandnephew (Manila: Green Street Enterprises, 1995) p. 26]
That's why our national hero died as a Catholic.
