Rizal as a Catholic

Rizal grew up nurtured by a closely-knit Catholic family, was educated in the foremost Catholic schools of the period in the elementary, secondary and college levels; logically, therefore, he should have been a propagator of strictly Catholic traditions. However, in later life, he developed a life philosophy of a different nature, a philosophy of a different Catholic practice intermingled with the use of Truth and Reason.

My search of 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 Español, 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.

(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 of being a heretic and agitator.

Only a few days after his arrival, Governor General Terrero receives him at the Malacañang 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 Blumentritt: "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.

(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 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 , 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.

Why the change?

It could have been the result of contemporary contact, companionship, observation, research and the possession of an independent spirit.Being a critical observer, a profound thinker and a zealous reformer, Rizal did not agree with the prevailing Christian propagation of the Faith by fire and sword. This is shown in his Annotation of Morga’s Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas.

Rizal did not believe in the Catholic dogma that salvation was only for Catholics and that outside Christianity, salvation was not possible even if Catholics composed only a small minority of the world’s religious groups. Nor did he believe in the Catholic observation of fasting as a sacrifice, nor in the sale of such religious items as the cross, medals, rosaries and the like in order to propagate the Faith and raise church funds. He also lambasted the superstitious beliefs propagated by the priests in the church and in the schools. All of these and a lot more are evidences of Rizal’s religious philosophy.