Terminally ill, Josephine's ailment rapidly advanced that, at the same time, drained her family's financial resources. She suffered the dreadful tuberculosis of the larynx that took its toll on her physical well-being, the debilitating effects wasting her to an emasculated patient of convent nuns who took rounds caring for her at the St. Francis Hospital, a Catholic charitable institution. The Vicar General in Hong Kong, Msgr. Spada, who came to visit her had this to say: "The last time I saw Mrs. Rizal, I was stricken with pity. She was broken down; yes, very much broken down both in health and in spirit. I deemed it my first duty to comfort her and revive her spirit, but my efforts were futile. It was a losing fight. Poor woman, she had lost all hope, and with it, her faith in humanity."
Josephine's daughter, Dolores Bracken Abad - who married Antonio Mina of Ilocos, lived till December 9, 1987 and was survived by four children. The first full biography of Josephine Bracken, Errante Golondrina was written by her great-grandson, Macario Ofilada.
Relating circumstances about how she died, apparently poor and penniless, he offered me a question of interest: typical with any pauper's death, is it possible that her remains have been interred into the grave, together with her mother's?
Were her remains also buried in Grave No. 4258?
Addendum:
Generally, her story may be considered relatively miserable - not only in life but also in death and after-death. There were very nasty rumors about the origins of Josephine Bracken arising from half-baked research, specially that of biographer Austin Coates. From being an illegitimate child, Eurasian, a woman of the streets, a singer in a night tavern, a spy of the friars, and so on and so forth. Further injury is incurred, very unfortunate as it is, when the late Sen. Raul Roco, apparently referring to misinterpretation of circumstances, mentioned in a public speech that Josephine was a prostitute.
As technology advances, fresh research and new evidence slowly and surely debunk these horrid references to Josephine's past. Michael Bourke's findings here were of great help to establish that Josephine was indeed a legitimate child and was Irish.
But debates still rage on whether Bracken and Rizal were indeed married before the hero's execution. Again, new research and writings point to the fact that they finally got married.
May she eternally rest in peace.
Addendum:
Generally, her story may be considered relatively miserable - not only in life but also in death and after-death. There were very nasty rumors about the origins of Josephine Bracken arising from half-baked research, specially that of biographer Austin Coates. From being an illegitimate child, Eurasian, a woman of the streets, a singer in a night tavern, a spy of the friars, and so on and so forth. Further injury is incurred, very unfortunate as it is, when the late Sen. Raul Roco, apparently referring to misinterpretation of circumstances, mentioned in a public speech that Josephine was a prostitute.
As technology advances, fresh research and new evidence slowly and surely debunk these horrid references to Josephine's past. Michael Bourke's findings here were of great help to establish that Josephine was indeed a legitimate child and was Irish.
But debates still rage on whether Bracken and Rizal were indeed married before the hero's execution. Again, new research and writings point to the fact that they finally got married.
May she eternally rest in peace.
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