Josephine Bracken and Jose Rizal
Rodrigo A. Dar
his death? And any details of her whereabouts and life afterwards?
--
Rodrigo (Rudy) A. Dar
San Jose, CA
Filmbuff95
execution, but I have no idea what happened to her after his death. I'd be
interested to know this as well.
--Jeff--
http://www.geocities.com/~hollismeister
Redits
From: filmb...@aol.com (Filmbuff95)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------
I can possibly help out with authoritative accounts of the life of Dr. J. P.
Rizal and Josephine Bracken...But I need to know first if this is for a
specific study or purely informative purposes.
RFD.
Timothy Joseph Harvey
Braken was the illegitimate daughter of an Irishman named Joseph Bracken
and an unknown Chinese mother in Hong Kong. The social stigma of being
Eurasian in 19th century Hong Kong was worse than even being
illigeitimate. There are many instances throughout her life where she
fabricated accounts of herself, apparently, to overcome this stigma.
The Jesuit Vicente Balaguer claims to have married Rizal and Josephine
before his execution in the presence of one of Rizal's sisters. However,
the Rizal family denied this, and by Rizal's own account, none of them
were there on the day of the supposed marriage.
Later, Josephine neither used Rizal's name or produced a marriage
certificate or other documentation to prove marriage to him. She failed
to prove her claim of marriage during litigation over his library and
other matters of his will.
Some time after Rizal's execution, she married Vicente Abad, the Filipino
representative of Tabaclera, Hong Kong. She eventually died on March 14,
1902 in Hong Kong of ulceration of the breast/military tubercolosis". She
died penniless and was buried in a paupers grave.
Dispite the weight of evidence and general belief that Rizal and Bracken
were never legally married, the issue remains a controvery. The Rizal
family was opposed to Josephine, and there is some reason to believe the
possibility that they colluded against her after Rizals death, perhaps
succeeding at what they could not accomplish during his life.
Tim
Rodrigo A. Dar <ra...@jps.net> wrote:
: Is there any definitive account of whether these two were married before
Filmbuff95
Nina
didn't want to marry them unless Rizal retract all his writings against the
church and the friars.
If you want a detailed story, there is a movie called "Rizal sa Dapitan", in
the movie, they vowed to be married to each other without the actual
sacrament of matrimony.
Rodrigo A. Dar wrote in message <368F9923...@jps.net>...
Redits
married to Dr. Jose Rizal contain bits and pieces of "history". The original
question was asked by "Rodrigo A. Dar" aka <ra...@jps.net>
Then "filmb...@aol.com" aka Filmbuff95 (Jeff) suggested, based on his
reading, that they were married. But Jeff did not mention his source of
information. However, he did indicate (apparently in answer to Redit's earlier
posting), as to the purpose of this posting, that he was simply curious. This
posting by Redits was originally intended for Rodrigo A. Dar. But it worked out
just as well for Jeff to answer. The question still remains, though, if
Rodrigo A. Dar is interested in this controversial issue on Rizal's life for
academic or just informative purposes. For this would suggest the extent and
depth of the answer and research material that we can suggest or recommend.
NSReyes aka "nina" categorically expressed that Rizal never married Bracken.
She cited as her proof, the "fact" that Rizal never retracted his writings
against the Catholic Church, and therefore, she concluded, the church refused
to marry them. She cited further a Pilipino movie, "Rizal sa Dapitan",
evidently to corroborate her contention.
Timothy Joseph Harvey aka <r...@user2.teleport.com> cited "Rizal Without the
Overcoat" by Ambeth R. Ocampo as his source and authority to defend the
position that: Rizal never married Bracken. Further, he maintained (and I am
not clear if his source for this claim is also the same author: "The Jesuit
Vicente Balaguer claims to have married Rizal and Josephine before his
execution in the presence of one of Rizal's sisters. However, the Rizal family
denied this, and by Rizal's own account, none of them were there on the day of
the supposed marriage."
Redits now responds:
1. Married or not, Josephine Bracken, or Josephine Leopoldine Taufer (she
used both names, she was Rizal's wife for all intents and purposes, i.e.,
referred to then as common law wife...for she did serve him as such.
2. Rizal left her with a copy of "The Imitation of Christ" by Thomas a' Kempis
and on which he had written: TO MY DEAR AND UNHAPPY WIFE,
JOSEPHINE."
3. Josephine and George Taufer (her foster father) and a certain Manuela
Orlac, the mistress of a certain friar in the Manila Cathedral arrived in
Dapitan in February 1895.
4. Taufer and Josephine had met Rizal in Hongkong, when Taufer sought help
for his failing eyesight. At the time of their visit to Dapitan,
Josephine
was 17 years old, a petite Eurasian orphan with Irish blood, and who came
from a humble (poor) family.
5. Rizal did propose marriage to Josephine. There are letters from Rizal that
document this. In April of the same year, it became evident that while
Josephine reciprocated the feelings, the marriage could not prosper,
largely
because of Rizal's anti-clerical views which he refused to retract. The
Dapitan parish priest refused to marry them. The Bishop of Cebu confirmed
the priest's decision to deny the marriage.
6. Rizal did not have the heart to return Josephine back to her family. So
she
stayed on in the "casa cuadrada", keeping "Joe" (her nickname for him)
company and taking care of him as a legal wife would have done. She kept
house, cooked, washed, and sewed, and fed the chickens.
7. An alleged retraction signed by Rizal would be found 30 years later, but
its
authenticity will forever be under debate. Just as Father Balaguer's claim
that he married Rizal and Josephine at the last minute. Balaguer was also
accompanied by Father Jose Vilaclara, and both tried to persuade Rizal to
retract.
8. In conclusion, did he retract? Did they marry? Nobody knows for sure.
It is doubtful, whether we would ever find out, beyond a reasonable doubt,
the truth to this questions.
9. Source: "INDIO BRAVO" - THE STORY OF JOSE RIZAL, BY:
ASUNCION ("TITA SONY") LOPEZ-RIZAL BANTUG and edited by
Nick Joaquin...l997. Tita Sony is a one of the few surviving descendants
of the Rizal family tree.
10. The opinion expressed by Ambeth Ocampo in her book, that the relatives
of Rizal deny the marriage, or do not believe that there was any marriage,
is not widely shared by real family members. The relationship of Rizal
and Josephine Bracken was an embarassment to the family. But "Joe"
found comfort and reassurance in his mother's advise: "...loving each
other
in God's grace, is better than being married in mortal sin..."
11. As for Josephine, she gave birth to a premature and stillborn son sometime
late in 1895. Some of Rizal's sisters say the boy was named Peter;
others
say he was named Francisco, after Don Francisco Mercado (the family
birth name of our hero, before he changed it to Rizal). He was
assasinated
on the morning of December 30, 1896.
I hope I have been able to shed some light into this issue about our family
history.
========================================================
<Subject: Josephine Bracken and Jose Rizal
From: "Rodrigo A. Dar" <ra...@jps.net>
Date: Sun, Jan 3, 1999 4:21 PM
Message-id: <368F9923...@jps.net>
Is there any definitive account of whether these two were married before
his death? And any details of her whereabouts and life afterwards?
Subject: Re: Josephine Bracken and Jose Rizal
From: filmb...@aol.com (Filmbuff95)
Date: Sun, Jan 3, 1999 5:30 PM
Message-id: <19990103123058...@ng-cr1.aol.com>
According to what I have read, they were married on the morning of his
execution, but I have no idea what happened to her after his death. I'd be
interested to know this as well.
--Jeff--<
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---------------
Redits posted:
<I can possibly help out with authoritative accounts of the life of Dr. J. P.
Rizal and Josephine Bracken...But I need to know first if this is for a
specific study or purely informative purposes.
RFD.<
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------
Subject: Re: Josephine Bracken and Jose Rizal
<From: filmb...@aol.com (Filmbuff95)
Date: Sun, Jan 3, 1999 10:00 PM
Message-id: <19990103170035...@ng20.aol.com>
Speaking for myself, I'm just curious.
--Jeff--
http://www.geocities.com/~hollismeister<
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----------------
<Subject: Re: Josephine Bracken and Jose Rizal
From: "Nina" <nsr...@pacific.net.ph>
Date: Sun, Jan 3, 1999 6:42 PM
Message-id: <76odvh$jfv$1...@newton2.pacific.net.sg>
Josephine and Jose were never married because the Catholic church back then
didn't want to marry them unless Rizal retract all his writings against the
church and the friars.
If you want a detailed story, there is a movie called "Rizal sa Dapitan", in
the movie, they vowed to be married to each other without the actual
sacrament of matrimony.<
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----------------
<Subject: Re: Josephine Bracken and Jose Rizal
From: Timothy Joseph Harvey <r...@user2.teleport.com>
Date: Sun, Jan 3, 1999 9:44 PM
Message-id: <bxRj2.1805$W_.16...@news1.teleport.com>
According to "Rizal Without the Overcoat" by Ambeth R. Ocampo, Josephine
Braken was the illegitimate daughter of an Irishman named Joseph Bracken
and an unknown Chinese mother in Hong Kong. The social stigma of being
Eurasian in 19th century Hong Kong was worse than even being
illigeitimate. There are many instances throughout her life where she
fabricated accounts of herself, apparently, to overcome this stigma.
The Jesuit Vicente Balaguer claims to have married Rizal and Josephine
before his execution in the presence of one of Rizal's sisters. However,
the Rizal family denied this, and by Rizal's own account, none of them
were there on the day of the supposed marriage.
Later, Josephine neither used Rizal's name or produced a marriage
certificate or other documentation to prove marriage to him. She failed
to prove her claim of marriage during litigation over his library and
other matters of his will.
Some time after Rizal's execution, she married Vicente Abad, the Filipino
representative of Tabaclera, Hong Kong. She eventually died on March 14,
1902 in Hong Kong of ulceration of the breast/military tubercolosis". She
died penniless and was buried in a paupers grave.
Dispite the weight of evidence and general belief that Rizal and Bracken
were never legally married, the issue remains a controvery. The Rizal
family was opposed to Josephine, and there is some reason to believe the
possibility that they colluded against her after Rizals death, perhaps
succeeding at what they could not accomplish during his life.
Tim<
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------
A final word: One undeniable fact about the relationship between Josephine
Bracken aka Josephine Leopoldine Taufer and Dr. Jose Rizal aka "Jose
Mercado"...THEY TRULY LOVED EACH OTHER.
Redits
<Subject: Re: Josephine Bracken and Jose Rizal
From: Dirty Sick Pig <mags...@hotmail.com>
Date: Mon, Jan 4, 1999 3:08 AM
Message-id: <369030C3...@hotmail.com>
1. "...any records or docs re JB & JR wedding might be in Augustinian
Church..."
You are not the first one to suspect that...But this possibility has been
thoroughly researched and exhausted....no documents have been discovered.
Nor recorded. Ergo, there was no marriage? Still, inconclusive. The
records may have been burned or destroyed in subsequent events. Therefore
the debate continues...
The Rizal family itself is split on this issue. Those who maintain they
were
married at the "last moment" of Rizal's life, are suspected of
"self-serving"
motives: For Rizal and Josephine to have been married, Rizal had to
retract his anti-clerical views and writings and teachings. Therefore,
they
claim, since he got married, he must have retracted. But no document of
the marriage...and the document of retraction discovered 30 years after
his
death...is still being questioned as to its authenticity...
Those family members who claim that Rizal never got married to JB
"hate JB with a passion, and do not believe there is any need for any
apologetics or retraction from Rizal regarding his views and writings,"
especially now, 102 years after his assasination. This side of the
family
also consider the "scandalous relationship" between JR & JB,
embarassing
and that the family reputation and name was redeemed by Rizal's
refusal to retract, even if it cost him his marriage to his "common law
wife."
2. Re the "Ultimo Adios". On the eve of his execution, Rizal wrote his
family"
"I should like to see some of yo before I die, though it may be painful.
let the bravest among you come. I have some important things to say."
They came, one by one. They were allowed to se the prisoner and only
briefly, while a guard stood by. Rizal pressed a kiss on his mother's
hand
in silent grief. She was not even permitted a last embrace. He made
his
last wishes known in English in a brief aside to Trining, who spoke
English well. Pointing to his alcohol lamp, a gift from the Pardo de
Taveras, he whispered, "There is something in it."
When the sisters arrived home, they opened the lamp and, using a
hairpin, extracted from it a tightly folded piece of ruled paper. It
was the
manuscript of their brother's poem, "Mi Ultimo Adios," or "My Last
Farewell."...all 14 stanzas and 70 lines of it, were written in cramped
handwriting to fit the small piece of paper.
Little known facts are the other writings of Rizal to his family
during his
26-day trial and incarceration. Two are worth mentioning here.His
letter
to his brother Paciano: "...For more than four years, we have neither
seen nor written each other, not for alack of love on your part nor on
mine
but because knowing each other as we do, we needed no words to
understand each other...My brother, if the fruit is bitter, the fault is
not
mine, but fate's..." To the other members of the family, Rizal wrote
letters asking for forgiveness for the pain he has caused them...but
that
it was better for him to die, while his conscience was clear. And the
night before, he feverishly wrote to his life-long best friend
Blumentritt:
"When you receive this, I shall be dead. Tomorrow at seven I shall be
shot, but I am not guilty of the crime of rebellion. I shall die with
a
clean conscience. Goodbye, my best and dearest friend..."
3. The "death/execution" procession from Fort Santiago passed through the
Postigo Gate out to the Paseo de Maria Cristina. Rizal turned towards the
sea. "What a bright day it is, Father! How clear! I used to stroll here
with
my sweetheart." (A bit mythical...perhaps the historical reason why Luneta
became "Lover's Lane/Park".)
As they passed the Ateneo, he turned his face towards the school a few
times
and asked, "Is that the Ateneo?" "Yes" the Jesuits answered. "I spent
the
happiest years of my life there," he remarked, his face brightening at
the
recollection. (Somewhat anecdotal, but it serves to illustrate the point
that
Rizal was mentally and psychologically normal and in control of his
emotions even as he approached his own death.)
Jose Rizal was killed on December 30, 1896 at about 7:30 A.M. by gun
shots fired by Filipino soldiers, who were ordered to shoot our hero
while a squad of Spanish soldiers stood behind them with rifles ready to
fire at them, if they refused to shoot their "kapwa Pilipino..."
Just as Caesar suffered the "unkindest cut of all" in the hands of his
friend
Brutus, the Spaniards brutalized and robbed the Pilipinos with every
shred of human dignity with this act and travesty of justice. But
that
was history...
Conrad Gonzalez
middle name?
Paterno or Alonzo? I've seen these 2 names appear and not sure which one
is
correct.
I have a copy of "Mi Ultimo Adios" as written in Spanish and lost the
English
translation. I would appreciate to have a copy of the the English
version. You can
e-mail it to me or if you want, post it in this NG. I've shown this poem
to my
Spanish speaking friends (I don't speak Spanish) and their reaction was
uniform,
that of awe and admiration. They say that the beauty of the poem is
difficult to
project once translated into English or another language. One has to
understand
Spanish to appreciate the beauty of the poem. I understand there are
several
official published English versions.
I would like to have the Tagalog version also. I wasn't able to retrieve
it from my
old computer. I remember the writting style is of old Tagalog and quite
deep. I
donot particularly care for the "Mi Ultimo Ubo."
Thanks.
Redits wrote:
> <cut>2. Re the "Ultimo Adios". On the eve of his execution, Rizal wrote his
> family"
> "I should like to see some of yo before I die, though it may be painful.
> let the bravest among you come. I have some important things to say."<cut>
--
Conrad Gonzalez
Hanover, VA
Dirty Sick Pig
>
> You appear to be well read about Rizal. My question, What is Rizal's
> middle name?
> Paterno or Alonzo? I've seen these 2 names appear and not sure which one
> is
> correct.
Jose Protacio Rizal?
> I would like to have the Tagalog version also. I wasn't able to retrieve
> it from my old computer.
I have a version memorized, translator unknown. It may take me some
time to type up because I still encounter difficulties typing and
spelling in Tagalog. I'll give it the old school boy try, however.
> I remember the writting style is of old Tagalog and quite deep.
The one I memorized is quite readable. The style is contemporary and I
encountered little difficulty absobing it. It's a well-written piece,
considering the environment that caused it to be composed in the first
place.
> I do not particularly care for the "Mi Ultimo Ubo."
What is this!? I'll happily trade you my Tagalog version for this "Ubo"
thing. Sounds AFU. :D
> Thanks.
> Redits wrote:
Mad Dog
Filmbuff95 wrote in message
<19990103123058...@ng-cr1.aol.com>...
> According to what I have read, they were married on the morning of his
>execution, but I have no idea what happened to her after his death. I'd be
>interested to know this as well.
> --Jeff--
There is no authoritative answer. Contemorary accounts don't mention it and
Rizal's family denied it happened. It is also known that some of the alleged
witnesses to the wedding weren't there. No certificate of marriage exists.
Mad Dog
Philsite
What is Rizal's
> middle name?
> Paterno or Alonzo? I've seen these 2 names appear and not sure which one
> is
> correct.
<Jose Protacio Rizal?>
Halo-halo naman ang sagot ninyo. Iisa lang ang tanong. Kaya ang sagot isa
rin.
Ang tunay na pangalan ni JOSE PROTACIO RIZAL MERCADO Y ALONSO REALONDA ay yun
na nga....
This was a 50 point question in our Rizalian class.
More than 50% Pilipino born, Pilipino bred, Pilipino educated citizens got it
wrong....the rest got it partly right.
Kayo ba, Pilipino or Plip? Filipino or Flip? har, har, har, de har,
har.....Seriously, recall that this guys family was originally surnamed
"Mercado" (Palengke which is almost synonymous with
"bakya", idiot-matically speaking).
I have never been clear on why they changed their name....reminds of a
Filipino who changed his name when he changed his citizenship to
American....from Kasimiro Bokaykay.....to Cashmere Bouquet (pronounced Bo-kay,
long "a")
Now, you guys gotta answer some questions too: HOW MANY BROTHERS AND SISTERS
DID JAR (JOSE ALONZO RIZAL) HAVE? FOLLOW-UP QUESTION IS: CAN YOU NAME THEM
ACCORDING TO CHRONOLOGICAL AGES? This was the other 50 point question in our
exam. Let us see if you can do better than I did.
Conrad Gonzalez
Philsite wrote:
> What is Rizal's
> > middle name?
> > Paterno or Alonzo? I've seen these 2 names appear and not sure which one
> > is
> > correct.
>
> <Jose Protacio Rizal?>
>
> Halo-halo naman ang sagot ninyo. Iisa lang ang tanong. Kaya ang sagot isa
> rin.
> Ang tunay na pangalan ni JOSE PROTACIO RIZAL MERCADO Y ALONSO REALONDA ay yun
> na nga....
You've got to be kidding. Where did the REALONDA and MERCADO come from? It is
making this issue more confusing. Will the real Jose Rizal stand up please.
Redits
regarding your request, am having difficulty retrieving my files on the
subject. But you can check <http://www. AltaVista.com> There are several
versions there in English. The closest one to the "Mi Ultimo Adios" is the
translation by Charles Darbyshire. I do not remember if my version is the same
as this one. I will compare and advise you ASAP. Thanks for your interest.
<I would appreciate to have a copy of the the English
version.> {con...@erols.com}
Dirty Sick Pig
>
> What is Rizal's
> > middle name?
> > Paterno or Alonzo? I've seen these 2 names appear and not sure which one
> > is
> > correct.
>
> <Jose Protacio Rizal?>
>
Did you see the punctuation mark in my response? --> [<Jose Protacio
Rizal?>]
The (?) meant I added my own uncertainty to the original poster's. You
gave a good answer but it was cloaked in a mantle of derision aimed at
us for not knowing what you know. This is representative of most of
your posts, whether you're posting as Redits, 1stpennusa or as
Philsite. Kaya, wala akong pagsisisi kapag sinasabi kong "putang ina
mo, matandang hukluban."
DSP
Dirty Sick Pig
>
> You've got to be kidding. Where did the REALONDA and MERCADO come from? It is
> making this issue more confusing. Will the real Jose Rizal stand up please.
>
> --
> Conrad Gonzalez
> Hanover, VA
Mercado was the original family name. It became that long due to the
Spanish practice of using all the ancestral names and the mother's
maiden name as the children's middle name. Be grateful for your plain
and simple Conrad Gonzalez; no middle name, no Y name, no confusion, and
you will have your progeny's gratitude later on.
Redits
retract....or continue uttering profanities, kabastusan, kalaswaan..but then
nobody really expects anything much from this pig. Neither does this pig know
the difference between puking or barfing or crapping...sa baboy na ito ang suka
at ebak ay parehong pagkain....hence the origin of the phrase: "kaning baboy".
oink, oink...oink...
Subject: Re: Josephine Bracken and Jose Rizal
From: Dirty Sick Pig <mags...@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, Jan 6, 1999 10:22 AM
Message-id: <3693395F...@hotmail.com>
Redits
Conrad Gonzalez wrote:
>
> You've got to be kidding. Where did the REALONDA and MERCADO come from? It is
> making this issue more confusing.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------
Subject: Re: Josephine Bracken and Jose Rizal
From: Dirty Sick Pig <mags...@hotmail.com>
Date: Wed, Jan 6, 1999 11:21 AM
Message-id: <36934736...@hotmail.com>
Mercado was the original family name. It became that long due to the
Spanish practice of using all the ancestral names and the mother's
maiden name as the children's middle name.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------
Actually, it goes like this. His first two names are: JOSE PROTACIO. His
complete surnames are: RIZAL MERCADO. His "middle name" (which in practice
and usage in the Philippines is the "maiden family name of the mother), is
ALONSO REALONDO. Therefore, the complete name and title of the great Pilipino
hero is: DR. JOSE PROTACIO RIZAL MERCADO Y ALONSO-REALONDO.
Jose's father was FRANCISCO MERCADO, the youngest of 12 children in the
marriage of Capitan Juan Mercado and Cirila Alejandra (Jose's paternal
grandparents).
Jose's mother was TEODORA ALONSO. Her father was LORENZO ALBERTO ALONSO of
Binan, Laguna. Her mother was BRIGIDA DE QUINTOS of Pangasinan.(maternal
grandparents of Jose). She had one sister and three brothers.
In 1850 the Spanish government decreed a sweeping change of family names to
reduce the confusion about native surnames. The ALONSOS adopted the surname
REALONDA...{but to this day Rizal's mother is known as Teodora Alonso).
The name MERCADO meaning market, also had to be changed because there were many
other MERCADOS in the Philippines. The provincial governor, who was a friend
of the family, added a preceding name, RIZAL, from the word, "ricial," meaning
"green fields". Therefore, the complete family name of Jose became a
combination of RIZAL (the adopted name) and MERCADO
(his birthright family name), his paternal side. To this we add the birthright
name on the maternal side, ALONSO and the adopted name, REALONDO.
To reiterate precisely, the hero's full name is stated, thus:
"JOSE' PROTACIO RIZAL MERCADO y ALONSO REALONDA" (M.D.)
Dee M Onyo
>
> The poor dirty pig just does not know what to do...whether to apologize
In your butt. :D
> or to retract....
Up your ass. :D
> or continue uttering profanities, kabastusan, kalaswaan..
Putang ina mo, matandang hukluban!
There you go, Ma'am. Proof that I know what I want to do.
> but then nobody really expects anything much from this pig.
But you do. Otherwise, you will be a "nobody" by your own definition.
Tsk-tsk-tsk.
> Neither does this pig know the difference between puking
= Redits.
> or barfing
= Philsite.
> or crapping...
= 1stpennusa
>sa baboy na ito ang suka at ebak ay parehong pagkain....
= Redits/philsite/1stpennusa = unholy trinity
> hence the origin of the phrase: "kaning baboy".
= Redits/philsite/1stpennusa = aminadong bakla
> oink, oink...oink...
Ditto.
DSP
Dee M Onyo
Dee M Onyo
>
> Therefore, the complete name and title of the great Pilipino
> hero is: DR. JOSE PROTACIO RIZAL MERCADO Y ALONSO-REALONDO.
>
Thank you, Ma'am. Now everybody knows that the complete name is Dr.,
and the title is Jose Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonso-Realondo
> "JOSE' PROTACIO RIZAL MERCADO y ALONSO REALONDA" (M.D.)
Thank you again, Ma'am. I thought he was a doctor of opthalmology.
DSP