I know of no Catholic doctrine that Mary "grew old and died," nor that she didn't. In defining the dogma of the Assumption, Pius XII avoided using the term "resurrection" and did not take a position on the question of the Blessed Virgin's death. Munificentissimus Deus limits itself to affirming the elevation of Mary's body to heavenly glory "at the end of her earthly life." It intentionally doesn't specify whether she died, or didn't die, because we don't know.
TRUE. Let me partially retract my statement with apologies. But the language of Munificentissimus Deus is intentionally wide, and constructed in such a fashion as to recall my friend Quix' definition: Weasel words. One can imagine why, as the existing tomb of Mary in Jerusalem, and the tradition of the Orthodox, seems to limit what they would have rather infallibly declared.
One cannot escape the origins of this tradition in a couple of 4th (or maybe 5th) century psuedapigraphical works... There is no early linkage, and all later works seem to stem from these.
Well just like The Trinity, the blessed Mothers assumption to heaven isn’t explicit. Her assumptin into heaven was documented in the 4 century, which is why all early Christian churches believe this, not just Catholics,
Neither Jesus body, or His mothers body was ever found. Which would be rare for such high profile people. Peters, body was found in Rome, and his death was documented. “The earliest reference to Peter’s death (outside the New Testament: see John 21:15-19) is 1 Clement (a.k.a. Letter to the Corinthians), written c. 96. In that letter, Clement, the bishop of Rome, says (chapter 5), “Let us take the noble examples of our own generation.”
“Through jealousy and envy the greatest and most just pillars of the Church were persecuted, and came even unto death … Peter, through unjust envy, endured not one or two but many labours, and at last, having delivered his testimony, departed unto the place of glory due to him.”
Regardless, in the scheme of salvation history, this ideology of the early church doesn’t make a difference to me one way or another. To me Jesus’ mother was blessed among women, and nothing will change that.
I don’t see why those with a complete void of early christian history obsess over it. Don’t believe it, who cares. That is your God given right of Free Will, and no real Catholic would pretend to play God and condemn you for it. That level of arrogance would be offensive to God, and most Catholics know better.