The Rizal – Pastells Correspondence



Jose Rizal, the national hero of the Philippines, was a precursor to the
Spanish - American war and, particularly, the involvement of the United
States in the Philippines, first against Spain and then against the
Filipinos.



I am pleased to report that and English translation the correspondence
between Dr. Jose Rizal and the Jesuit, Father Pablo Pastells is now
found on the website, "Rizal's Life and Writings."



http://joserizal.info/Writings/Letters/rizal-pastells.htm
<http://joserizal.info/Writings/Letters/rizal-pastells.htm>



To the best of this writer's knowledge, this is the only internet
site that contains these important nine letters.



Dr. Rizal initiates the correspondence when, on 1 September 1892 from
his Dapitan exile, he writes Fr. Pastells, a former Ateneo teacher, to
thank him for a gift. The correspondence continues with four lengthy
letters (through April, 1893) from Fr. Pastells in which he, using
traditional philosophical and theological Roman Catholic arguments of
his day, seeks to sway Dr. Rizal to return to the folds of the
traditional Roman Church that Pastells embraced.



Of more interest, however, are the responding letters of Rizal in which
he seeks to express his beliefs which are grounded in rationalism and
the scientific method. It is evident that the thought of liberal
Spanish and European thinkers of that day had an impact on Rizal's
belief system.



Because of copyright restrictions, the bulk of the English translation
is based upon the English translation of the Epistolario Rizalino which
does not bare a copyright notice. However, it is supplemented with
additions taken from the book by Father Raul J. Bonoan, SJ, whose book,
The Rizal-Pastells Correspondence was published in a copyrighted work by
Ateneo University Press. It is the understanding of the webmaster that
such actions are permitted in the promotion of better and more accurate
academic understanding.



Robert L. Yoder, Moderator, RP-Rizal

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RP-Rizal
<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RP-Rizal>





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