Early Church's Understanding of Mary's Perpetual Virginity

[808Catholic]

Mary was with Jesus during his ministry.

Look at John’s Gospel. We see Mary here twice - at the beginning of his ministry at the Cana wedding and again at the end of his ministry at the Crucifixion. This is a literary technique called bookending which St. John the Apostle uses several times.

John bookends Mary around Jesus’ ministry. Mary is there at the beginning and at the end. It is St. John’s way of telling us that Jesus’ mother was with him from beginning to end.

-Tim-

Thank you for that clarification.

 

[Peebo]

The Apostles Creed states “born of the Virgin Mary”…the Catechism of the Catholic Church part one The Profession of Faith…MARY-EVER VIRGIN…499 says in part…** The deepening of faith in the virginal motherhood led the church to confess Mary’s real and perpetual virginity even in the act of giving birth to the Son of God made man.In fact Christ’s birth did not diminish his mother’s virginal integrity but sanctified it**…also… MARY’S VIRGINAL MOTHERHOOD IN GOD’S PLAN…502** the eyes of faith can discover in the context of the whole of Revelation the mysterious reasons why God in his saving grace wanted his Son to be born of a virgin**…Born…to be brought forth by birth…Virgin…one who has never had sexual intercourse…It seems perfectly normal to me she gave natural birth to our Lord without compromising her perpetual virginity…I’m not trying to be flippant but where in the Catechism…which is the definitive truth of the Catholic faith does it say she did not give birth but that Jesus miraculously appeared outside her body…I guess if people want to believe that it’s up to them…but it doesn’t appear to be what the church teaches

 

[ichabode]

I don’t mean she is a virgin by just not having sex but could her birth canal have stretched so as to allow her virginity to remain intact? Hope I’m not being too graphic.

The Hyman would not be intact in a normal childbirth if that is question. Of course if God had willed it anything is possible.