Is there an official pronouncement of the Church on this matter? I understand that it is a pious tradition that Our Lady took such a vow, but I never learned it to be an official teaching of the Magisterium
I am not so much interested in the author’s opinion as reflected by the adjective “summarily”, but, rather, in the fact that - apparently, since I haven’t read the book - the issue brought forth by the Holy Father is that
such an idea would be “quite foreign to the world of Judaism at Jesus’ time,”
If that is true, I see no issue at all with the Holy Father dismissing the historical possibility of Our Lady having taken such a vow.
After all, even the author of the article takes care to emphasizes that
a pious Catholic tradition has long read Luke 1:34 …] to mean that she had taken a vow of virginity.
A pious tradition is not Sacred Tradition, nor is it official teaching of the Church.
While it is most commendable that the perpetual virginity of Our Lady (this, certainly, an infallible truth) is seen as “as a forerunner of consecrated virginity in the church, especially for women”, I think the absence of an actual vow as per the pious tradition would not diminish in any way the figure of Our Lady, since us poor sinners take vows of chastity or celibacy, while she was full of grace and her perfect chastity and special calling are beyond our understanding…I always keep in mind the words of S. Chrysologus:
A virgin conceived and a virgin brought forth her child. Do not be disturbed at this conception or confused when you hear of this birth. Let no one judge in a human way what is done in a divine mystery. Let no one try to penetrate this heavenly mystery by earthly reasoning. Let no one treat this novel secret from knowledge of everyday occurrences. Let no one manipulate the work of love into an insult, or run the risk of losing faith.
