The End of Quantum Reality - Update

As of the 13th of May, Rick Delano's thought-provoking film The End of Quantum Reality is available on DVD, Bluetooth and streaming.

Please see the Philos-Sophia website for further information.

Here are a few tasters from the film:

"Above the entrance to the Platonic Academy at Athens, we are told, was an inscription that read: No one ignorant of geometry should enter here.  The plane of this ancient geometry was conceived of as a void, as something which had the potential to receive existence only by the act of generation.  It begins then with a single point.  Only two instruments exist for the constructions of Euclidean geometry: the first is the straight edge which allows the line to come into existence.  The second is the compass which brings the circle into existence by the act of rotation and joins the source to the perimeter.  We will referred to the simple construction as the cosmic icon.  This icon represents the cosmos as proceeding from God, as the source and centre of creation, spanning across an intermediary domain into the corporeal world in which we live our lives.  Beyond that lies the chaos of outer darkness.  Where then do the particles and fields of physics enter the picture?  Where do these entities fit into the cosmic icon?  And how then in the end to we get from these particles and fields to the world in which we live and move and have our being?"

"We are approaching a very singular moment in history that doesn't happen often."

"What then is the quantum enigma?  It resides in the fact that there are no physical particles in the quantum world.  That actual particles come into existence abruptly, in the act of observation or measurement.  So what is there before measurement?  Not a thing." 

"It thus became apparent that the act of observation or measurement has a profound and unpredictable impact upon the physical system itself, an undeniable fact which physicists could not explain."

"It is time to take stock of what has befallen us, time to break the spell."

Smith's analysis is stunning, administering a triple coup de grace to Cartesian bifurcationism, Darwinism and Einsteinian relativism. His proposed resolution of the quantum enigma is breathtakingly simple and daringly traditional. The film may serve as a fitting introduction to his written œuvre we have covered earlier on this blog.

See Amazon for a selection.

Fatima - 13th of May 1917

On this anniversary in these dark days, Francisco, Jacinta and Lucia: ora pro nobis!

1919: A chapel built near the holm oak of the apparitions.

This was the book that introduced me to the apparitions of Our Blessed Mother at Fatima (in the early 1980s).

Totus tuus ego sum 

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam

Sanctissima Maria,

Tibi consecro familiam meam:

E E K P T E & E; E & A; V & A

Regina Caeli

The Regina Caeli is used as hymn of joy during the Easter Season. Its recitation is prescribed in the Roman Breviary from Compline of Holy Saturday until None of the Saturday after Pentecost inclusively.

According to legend, in the year 596, at Easter time, a pestilence was ravaging Rome. St. Gregory the Great requested a procession be held to pray for an end to the pestilence. On the day of the procession, he met with his clergy at the church of Ara Coeli. Holding in his hand the icon of our Lady that was said to have been painted by St. Luke, he and his clergy started out in procession to St. Peter's.

Castel Sant Angelo  [2004 Alessandro57_Public domain]

As he passed the Castle of Hadrian, as it was then called, heavenly voices could be heard singing the Regina Caeli. The astonished Pope chanted in reply: "Ora pro nobis Deum. Alleluia!" At that moment an angel appeared in a glorious light, sheathed the sword of pestilence in its scabbard, and the pestilence ended. In honour of this miracle, the name of the castle was then changed to Sant' Angelo and the words of the angelic hymn were inscribed upon the roof of the Church of Ara Coeli.

REGINA caeli, laetare, alleluia:

Quia quem meruisti portare, alleluia,

Resurrexit sicut dixit, alleluia.

Ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia.

O QUEEN of heaven rejoice! alleluia:

For He whom thou didst merit to bear, alleluia,

Hath arisen as he said, alleluia.

Pray for us to God, alleluia.

V. Gaude et laetare, Virgo Maria, alleluia,
R. Quia surrexit Dominus vere, alleluia.

V. Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia.
R. Because the Lord is truly risen, alleluia.

Oremus

Deus, qui per resurrectionem Filii tui, Domini nostri Iesu Christi, mundum laetificare dignatus es: praesta, quaesumus; ut, per eius Genetricem Virginem Mariam, perpetuae capiamus gaudia vitae. Per eundem Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.

Let us pray

O God, who gave joy to the world through the resurrection of Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ; grant, we beseech Thee, that through His Mother, the Virgin Mary, we may obtain the joys of everlasting life. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

Totus tuus ego sum 

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam

Angelus ad Virginem (13th century)

This post introduces a beautiful hymn, possibly Franciscan in origin, that was brought to Britain by French friars in the 13th century. It appears in Geoffrey Chaucer's Miller's Tale, where the scholar Nicholas sings it in Latin to the accompaniment of his psaltery:

3213         And al above ther lay a gay sautrie,
                    And all above there lay a fine psaltery,
3214         On which he made a-nyghtes melodie
                    On which at night he made melody
3215         So swetely that all the chambre rong;
                    So sweetly that all the room rang;
3216         And Angelus ad virginem he song;
                    And "The Angel to the Virgin" he sang;
3217         And after that he song the Kynges Noote.
                    And after that he sang the King's Tune.
3218         Ful often blessed was his myrie throte.
                    Very often his merry throat was blessed.

[From The Miller's Prologue and Tale, An Interlinear Translation. The Middle English text is from Larry D. Benson., Gen. ed., The Riverside Chaucer, Houghton Mifflin Company; used with permission of the publisher.]

psaltery: An ancient or medieval stringed instrument with a sounding board or box, similar to the dulcimer but played by plucking the strings with the fingers or a plectrum.
Kynges Noote: King's Song or Tune; this has not survived. 

The text in Latin

The Annunciation. Willem Vrelant. 1460s.Getty Museum.

1.

Angelus ad virginem,

Subintrans in conclave,

Virginis formidinem

Demulcens, inquit "Ave!

Ave, regina virginum:

Coeli terraeque dominum

Concipies et paries intacta

Salutem hominum;

Tu porta coeli facta,

Medela criminum."

2.

"Quomodo conciperem,

Quae virum non cognovi?

Qualiter infringerem,

Quae firma mente vovi?"

"Spiritus sancti gratia

Perficiet haec omnia.

Ne timeas, sed gaudeas

Secura, quod castimonia

Manebit in te pura

Dei potentia."

3.

Ad haec, virgo nobilis

Respondens inquit ei,

"Ancilla sum humilis

Omnipotentis Dei.

Tibi coelesti nuntio,

Tanti secreti conscio,

Consentiens et cupiens videre

Factum quod audio,

Parata sum parere

Dei consilio."

4.

Angelus disparuit

Et statim puellaris

Uterus intumuit

Vi partus salutaris.

Qui, circumdatus utero

Novem mensium numero,

Hinc exiit et iniit conflictum,

Affigens humero

Crucem, qua dedit ictum

Hosti mortifero.

5.

Eia Mater Domini,

Quae pacem reddidisti

Angelis et homini

Cum Christum genuisti!

Tuum exora filium

Ut se nobis propitium

Exhibeat, et deleat peccata,

Praestans auxilium

Vita frui beata

Post hoc exsilium.

Listen to a sung version here. (Verses 1, 2 & 3)

Notes on Latin vocab

castīmōnĭa, ae, f. purity of morals, morality,

conclāve, is , n. clavis: a room, chamber
cōnscius adj. com- + scio, knowing in common, conscious with, participant, accessory, witnessing
dē-mulcĕo, lsi, mulctum, 2, v. a., to stroke down, to stroke caressingly (rare), to soften
frui  to enjoy the proceeds of, to have the use of. 
formīdō, inis, f.: dread, dismay, apprehension, terror, fear
īnfringō, frēgī, frāctus, 3, a.: to break in; break
in-tŭmesco, mŭi, 3, v. n. inch., to swell up; to rise
mĕdēla, ae, f. medeor, a healing, cure, a remedy
partus , ūs, m.: a bringing forth; birth,
sŭb-intro, āvi, ātum, 1, v. n., I to go into secretly, to enter by stealth, steal into
vīs, vīs, pl., vīrēs, vīrium: strength, force;
vŏvĕo, vōvi, vōtum, 2, v. a. and n.  to vow, i. e. to promise solemnly or sacredly; to devote, dedicate, consecrate something

English translation (1) Modern

1

The angel came to the Virgin,

entering secretly into her room;

calming the Virgin's fear, he said, "Hail!

Hail, queen of virgins:

you will conceive the Lord of heaven and earth

and bear him, still a virgin,

to be the salvation of mankind;

you will be made the gate of heaven,

the cure of sins."

2

"How can I conceive,

When I have never known a man?

How can I transgress

resolutions that I have vowed with a firm mind?"

"The grace of the Holy Spirit

shall do all this.

Do not be afraid, but rejoice

without a care, since your chastity

will remain in you unspoilt

through the power of God."

3

To this, the noble Virgin,

replying, said to him,

"I am the humble maidservant

of almighty God.

To you, heavenly messenger,

and bearer of such a great secret,

I give my consent, and wishing to see

done what I hear,

I am ready to obey

the will of God."

4

The angel vanished,

and at once the girl's

womb swelled

with the force of the pregnancy of salvation.

He, protected by the womb

for nine months in number,

left it and began the struggle,

fixing to his shoulder

a cross, with which he dealt the blow

to the deadly Enemy.

5

Hail, Mother of our Lord,

who brought peace back

to angels and men

when you bore Christ!

Pray your son

that he may show favour to us

and blot out our sins,

giving us help

to enjoy a blessed life

after this exile.

English translation (2) 13th Century

This is a thirteenth-century English version; it can be sung to the same tune as the Latin, and the manuscript (BL Arundel 248) has the music, followed by the Latin, then the English text. See A Clerk of Oxford blog.

1

Gabriel, fram evene king

Sent to the maide swete,

Broute hire blisful tiding,

And faire he gan hire greten:

"Heil be thu, ful of grace arith,

For Godes Sone, this evene lith,

For mannes loven

Wile man bicomen

And taken

Fles of thee, maiden brith,

Manken fre for to maken

Of senne and devles mith."

2

Mildeliche im gan andsweren

The milde maiden thanne:

"Wichewise sold ichs beren

Child withhuten manne?"

Thangle seide, "Ne dred te nout;

Thurw tholigast sal ben iwrout

This ilche thing

Warof tiding

Ichs bringe.

Al manken wrth ibout

Thur thi swete chiltinge,

And hut of pine ibrout."

3

Wan the maiden understud

And thangles wordes herde,

Mildeliche with milde mud

To thangle hie andswerde:

"Hur Lordes theumaiden iwis

Ics am, that her aboven is.

Anenttis me

Fulfurthed be

Thi sawe,

That ics, sithen his wil is,

Maiden withhuten lawe

Of moder have the blis."

4

Thangle wente awei mid than

Al hut of hire sithte;

Hire wombe arise gan

Thurw tholigastes mithe.

In hire was Crist biloken anon:

Suth God, soth man ine fleas and bon,

And of hir fleas

Iboren was

At time,

Warthurw us kam God won.

He bout us hut of pine

And let im for us slon.

5

Maiden moder makeles,

Of milche ful ibunden,

Bid for hus im that thee ches,

At wam thu grace funde,

That he forgive hus senne and wrake,

And clene of evri gelt us make;

And evne blis

Wan hure time is

To sterven

Hus give for thine sake

Him so her for to serven

That he us to him take.

To hear a haunting version of this 13th century Middle English carol, click on:

Gabriel: Fram Heven King 

(3) An extempore rendition of the above text (tbc)

Gabriel from heaven’s king
sent to the maiden sweet,
brought her blissful tidings
and courteously he did her greet:
Free from impairment are you, full of grace indeed.
For God’s son, this heaven’s light,
for love of man will man become, and take
flesh of thee, fair maiden,
to make mankind free
of sin and the devil’s might.

All graciously him to reply
The gentle maid began:
"How ever could it be that I
Should be with child without a man?"
The angel said: "Now fear ye nought, 
Through the Holy Ghost there shall be brought
About this very thing 
Of which the news to you I bring.
All mankind's safety is wrought
Through this dear child
And out of woe is brought.

When the maiden understood
And heard the angel's word,
Graciously, in gentle mood
To the angel she answered:
"Behold the handmaid of the Lord
Who over her resides;
And may it be
Fulfilled in me
This saw,
That I according to His will addressed
A virgin outside nature's law
As mother may be blessed.

The angel went away
All out of her sight
Her womb then swelled without delay
Through the Holy Ghost's might.
In her was Christ not one
But true God and true man in flesh and bone
And of her flesh
Was born
In time,
Wherefore God did for us atone
And bought us out of pain
And let Him for us be slain.

O maiden mother peerless
In whom sweet mercy abounds
Ask Him who chose thee fearless
Whom heavenly grace surrounds
That He forgive our sin and guilt
And make us clean just as He wilt;
And Heaven's bliss sublime
When arrives our time
To die
He grants to us for thine own sake
So pleasing her thereby
That He will to Himself us take.

English interpretation (4) by Gerald Manley Hopkins

The translation below is a poem by Gerald Manley Hopkins, S.J. (1844-1889), who used the Latin text as a basis for his composition.

1

Gabriel, from heaven's king

Sent to the maiden sweet,

Brought to her blissful tiding

And fair 'gan her to greet.

'Hail be thou, full of grace aright!

For so God's Son, the heaven's light,

Loves man, that He | a man will be | and take

Flesh of thee, maiden bright,

Mankind free for to make

Of sin and devil's might.'

2

Gently to him gave answer

The gentle maiden then:

'And in what wise should I bear

Child, that know not man?'

The angel said: 'O dread thee nought.

'Tis through the Holy Ghost that wrought

Shall be this thing | whereof tidings | I bring:

Lost mankind shall be bought

By thy sweet childbearing,

And back from sorrow brought.'

3

When the maiden understood

And the angel's words had heard,

Mildly, of her own mild mood,

The angel she answered:

'Our Lord His handmaiden, I wis,

I am, that here above us is:

And touching me |fulfilled be | thy saw;

That I, since His will is,

Be, out of nature's law

A maid with mother's bliss.'

4

The angel went away thereon

And parted from her sight

And straightway she conceived a Son

Through th' Holy Ghost His might.

In her was Christ contained anon,

True God, true man, in flesh and bone;

Born of her too | When time was due; | who then

Redeemed us for His own,

And bought us out of pain,

And died for us t'atone.

5

Filled full of charity,

Thou matchless maiden-mother,

Pray for us to him that He

For thy love above other,

Away our sin and guilt should take,

And clean of every stain us make

And heaven's bliss, | when our time is | to die,

Would give us for thy sake;

With grace to serve him by

Till He us to him take. Amen.

Totus tuus ego sum 

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam

Our Lady Mediatrix of All Graces

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass was offered this morning in honour of Our Lady Mediatrix of All Graces (Beatae Mariae Virginis omnium gratiarum Mediatricis). Here is the Collect:

Dómine Iesu Christe, noster apud Patrem mediátor, qui beatíssimam Vírginem, Matrem tuam, matrem quoque nostram et apud te mediatrícem constitúere dignátus es: concéde propítius; ut, quisquis ad te benefícia petitúrus accésserit, cuncta se per eam impetrásse lætétur: Qui vivis et regnas cum eódem Deo Patre in unitáte ...

O Lord Jesus Christ, our Mediator with the Father, who hast appointed the most Blessed Virgin, Thy Mother, to be also our Mother, and our mediatrix with Thee: grant that whosoever shall approach Thee for some favour, may rejoice at obtaining all things through her: Who livest and reignest with the same God the Father...

Totus tuus ego sum 

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam

O MARIA, Virgo et Mater sanctissima

Whilst work continues to complete the Life of Jesus Christ Our Lord and the concise guide to the Rosarium Aureum, we must notforget that it is the month of May, dedicated to Our Heavenly Queen and Mother. From time to time, we shall publish some of the sublime prayers from the Church's treasury of Marian devotions.

Here is a prayer recommended for thanksgiving after Mass.

Suavissimis amplexibus strinxisti

O MARIA, Virgo et Mater sanctissima, ecce suscepi dilectissimum Filium tuum, quem immaculato utero tuo concepisti, genuisti, lactasti, atque suavissimis amplexibus strinxisti. Ecce, cuius aspectu laetabaris et omnibus deliciis replebaris, illum ipsum tibi humiliter et amanter repraesento et offero tuis brachiis constringendum, tuo corde amandum, sanctissimaeque Trinitati in supremum latriae cultum, pro tui ipsius honore et gloria et pro meis totiusque mundi necessitatibus, offerendum. Rogo ergo te, piissima Mater, impetra mihi veniam omnium peccatorum meorum, uberemque gratiam ipsi deinceps fidelius serviendi, ac denique gratiam finalem, ut eum tecum laudare possim per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.


O MARY, most holy Virgin and Mother, behold, I have received thy most beloved Son, Jesus Christ, whom thou concievedst in thy spotless womb, bore, nursed, and held with thy sweet embraces. Behold Him at whose sight thou willst rejoice and be filled with every delight. With love I humbly return Him and offer Him to thee, to hold once more, to love with all thy heart, and to offer to the Holy Trinity as our supreme act of worship for thy honour and glory and for my good and the good of all the world. Therefore I ask thee, most loving Mother, to ask God for forgiveness of all my sins, abundant graces to help me serve Him more faithfully, and for that final grace that I may praise Him with thee for ever and ever. Amen.

Notes

amplexibus: abl plur from amplexus, ūs, m. amplector, an embracing, encircling, surrounding 
brachiis: abl plur from brāchĭum ( bracch- ), ĭī, n. (βραχίων),1 bras [depuis la main jusquʼau coude]
constringendum: fut pass partic from con-stringo, strinxi, strictum, 3, v. a., to draw together, bind together, to bind, tie up
dēnique: (adv.), at last, at length, finally
dĕin-ceps adj. and adv. capio. Prop., taking place next or after, following thereafter, next following: Adv., in a constant series, one after another, successively, in turn,
impetra: 2nd pers sing imp from impetro, in+patro, impetrō (inp-) āvī, ātus, āre to gain one's end, achieve, bring to pass, effect, get, obtain, procure(by request or influence)m
replebaris: 2nd pers sing imp ind pass from repleō, plēvī, plētus, 2, a.: to fill again; fill up, fill
strinxisti: 2nd per sing perf ind act from stringō, strīnxī, strīctus, 3, a.: to draw tight, bind.
uberemque: from uber + que: ūber, ĕris (abl. uberi; but ubere campo, Col. 6, 27, 1), adj , rich in something, full, fruitful, fertile, abundant, plentiful, copious, productive

Totus tuus ego sum 

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam

To the Queen of the May

As a gift to our Heavenly Queen and Mother at the beginning of the month of May, I have produced a new booklet entitled:

Rosarium Aureum

The Golden Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary

A Concise Guide

It incorporates the beautiful images by J-J Tissot (familiar to readers of this website)  together with the fifty mysteries, accompanied by the original Latin verses and a parallel English text.

In the pipeline is a companion volume which will contain excerpts from Scripture, a guide to the Latin vocabulary, a literal translation plus other explanatory materials.





Here is an extract from the Foreword:

The Most Holy Rosary: Rich in Meaning

    • A heavenly garden fragrant with prayer
    • A life-line and life-preserver
    • A powerful weapon
    • A trans-millennial drama in five acts

The word 'rosary' is said to derive from ‘rosarium’ or rose-garden. Recalling the heavenly garden created by God for man in Paradise, the Rosary in this sense becomes a little piece of Heaven here on earth. The beads of the Rosary are like seeds we plant in the garden of our soul. The seeds are our little prayers. We prepare the ground through penance and water it with our tears, so that the seeds, taking root, may grow into fragrant flowers we can offer up to Mary, in honour of the 'Mystical Rose', our heavenly Queen and Mother. 

In another sense, the chaplet is a life-line or life-preserver which our Blessed Mother offers to those poor souls floundering in the tempestuous floods of sin so that she may draw them back to the Ark of Salvation. 

“The Most Holy Virgin in these last times in which we live has given a new efficacy to the recitation of the Rosary to such an extent that there is no problem, no matter how difficult it is, whether temporal or above all spiritual, in the personal life of each one of us, of our families…that cannot be solved by the Rosary. There is no problem, I tell you, no matter how difficult it is, that we cannot resolve by the prayer of the Holy Rosary.” Sister Lucia dos Santos of Fatima. 

The Rosary is also a most powerful weapon in the war against the rulers of the world and the spirits of wickedness in the high places. 

“The Rosary is a powerful weapon to put the demons to flight and to keep oneself from sin…”Pius XI (Pope from 1922-1939)

“The Rosary is the weapon for these times.” Padre Pio (1887-1968) 

“Here is an example to help you understand the efficacy of the Rosary. You remember the story of David who vanquished Goliath. What steps did the young Israelite take to overthrow the giant? He struck him in the middle of the forehead with a pebble from his sling. If we regard the Philistine as representing evil and all its powers: heresy, impurity, pride, we can consider the little stones from the sling capable of overthrowing the enemy as symbolizing the Aves of the Rosary.” Dom Columba Marmion (1858-1923), Christ, the Ideal of the Priest.  

The beads of the Rosary are typically divided into five sets of ten (“decades”). In the Golden Rosary, these five decades represent five Acts in a supernatural drama. Each bead is a scene in this drama. The first scene opens with the pivotal event of human history: the Incarnation of our Divine Saviour, Jesus Christ, at the Annunciation. Although Our Lady will remain as our guide through the ensuing scenes, it is her Son who occupies centre stage as we contemplate the principal events of His hidden life and His public ministry, culminating with His Passion, Death, Resurrection and Ascension. The drama continues after Pentecost with Mary’s Assumption and her Coronation in Heaven. The closing scenes transport us to the Second Coming of her Son and the General Judgement of the living and the dead. It is a salutary conclusion to the Rosary that our minds should contemplate the Four Last Things: Death, Judgement, Heaven and Hell.

Beata Dei Genitrix Maria, 

Virgo perpetua, templum Domini, sacrarium Spiritus Sancti:

sola sine exemplo placuisti Domino nostro Jesu Christo:

ora pro populo, interveni pro clero, intercede pro devoto femineo sexu.

Blessed Mother of God Mary, 

ever a Virgin, temple of the Lord, shrine of the Holy Ghost:

alone without peer thou didst please our Lord Jesus Christ:

pray for the people, intervene for the clergy, intercede for consecrated women.

[From Lauds in the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary]

Totus tuus ego sum 

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam