>>OK...I was asking because you used the term “Strong Catholic” to describe her.<<
First, let me say this: What I am about to say is not a put down to you or anyone personally. It is merely how I see what happened to my wife.
She was not a strong Catholic. Rather, she was a strong Christian raised in a VERY orthodox Irish Catholic family. She was VERY involved, read her bible and, because of that, asked a LOT of questions. The answers she got are what eventually caused her to leave the church. Had she stayed longer, she probably would have eventually gotten around to asking about that “perpetual virgin” line. And the answer to that question (assuming it is what you think it would have been) would have sent her running for the door.
An important perspective my wife and I both have is that the people “of bible times” were normal everyday people. They wanted the same things we all do. To have a nice place, get plenty of food, get laid, have kids. All that stuff. Mary was no different.
And here is the Kernel: Jesus wasn’t either. If He was different, then he was NOT fully man, and a major part of what He did for us is completely lost. I hated the movie “The Passion”. But one part I liked was how it showed the actual humanity of Jesus. It is an important thing to look. It is part of the foundation from which his suffering for us get’s its power. It is why he sweat blood. His “flesh” did not want to hang on that cross any more than you or I would.
I sympathize with your wife as I have been to quite a few CINO churches in my time (break out the guitar...ugh). Still, we all must "Strive to enter through the narrow gate...". I wish that narrow gate was the Catholic Church for your wife. I also agree on the not bickering. Why do we do that? LOL.