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"Ah, so this is the standard Catholic position? That the term used for "brother" could mean cousin, etc.? Jesus must have been an only child?"

There was another theory also adopted by some of the Fathers (more prevalent among the Greeks). They said that St. Joseph was a widower when he married the Mother of God, and that he had children by that former marriage - Mary was their step-mother.

Whichever theory that they held, however, the Fathers were unanimous that the Blessed Virgin remained so after the birth of Jesus and consequently bore no other children herself.

Interesting. I had not heard that theory. I was taught that the reason St. Joseph was chosen was because of his great love of God and his purity of heart, as demonstrated in the Litany of Loretto ~ "St. Joseph Her most chaste spouse". Its also the reason that in all the pictures, statues etc. of St. Joseph, he always holds a white lily, the symbol of purity.

I have always believed the Bible teaches that Jesus had brothers and sisters.

Mark 3:32
...Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee.

Matt 13:55-58
55 Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?
56 And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?
57 And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.
58 And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

As we can see in Matt 13:57, Jesus' brothers and sisters were unbelievers at that point. Thus Jesus gave over the care of His believing mother to John the disciple at the cross.

I only know that believing in the God preserved Word will always keep one out of trouble. When we begin taking the ideas of men ahead of God's Word we potentially fall under the same condemnation as the Scribes and Pharisees.

Matt 15:6-9
...Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.
7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,
8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

Elevating a woman to sinless status is unbiblical.

Rom 3:23
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

According to the Bible, this applies to Mary!

P.S. Mary was indeed blessed above all woman to be chosen as the mother of Jesus. We should all honor her faith in God because she responded positively to His call. Praise God that she, being of the line of David, retained her virginity and thus could be used to usher into the world her savior Jesus Christ.