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...Mary’s personal life, post-Jesus’ birth, is utterly irrelevant to our Salvation. The Bible is wisely silent on the matter, and I can’t understand why we bother taking up time and thought on this...

While *I* agree with you that this is irrelevant to salvation, I do not believe that Catholics think the same way.

Catholic dogma appears to be an all-or-nothing proposition, from the doctrine of the Trinity all the way down to Mary experiencing no pain during the birth of Jesus. To deny any Catholic doctrine, no matter how significant or spurious, is to put oneself in opposition to the authority of their church, and thus place oneself in eternal damnation. I believe this is the real reason for the emphasis on hair-splitting pronouncements such as Mary being "The Mother of God" - they are worded so as to be deliberately provocative, in order to flush out non-compliancy.

Catholic dogma appears to be an all-or-nothing proposition, from the doctrine of the Trinity all the way down to Mary experiencing no pain during the birth of Jesus.

Bernadine: …all gifts, all virtues, and all graces are dispensed by the hands of Mary to whomsoever, when, and as she pleases. O Lady, since thou art the dispenser of all graces, and since the grace of salvation can ONLY come through thy hands, OUR SALVATION DEPENDS ON THEE.

Bonaventure: …the gates of heaven will open to all who confide in the protection of Mary. Blessed are they who know thee, O Mother of God, for the knowledge of THEE is the high road to everlasting life, and the publication of thy virtues is the way of ETERNAL SALVATION. Give ear, O ye nations; and all you who desire heaven , serve, honor Mary, and certainly you will find ETERNAL LIFE.

Ephem: …devotion to the divine Mother…is the unlocking of the heavenly Jerusalem.

Blosius: To the, O Lady, are committed the KEYS and the treasures of the kingdom of Heaven.

Ambrose: …constantly pray ‘Open to us, O Mary, the gates of paradise, since thou hast its KEYS.

Fulgetius: …by Mary God descended from Heaven into the world, that by HER man might ascend from earth to Heaven.

Athanasius: …And, thou, O Lady, wast filled with grace, that thou mightiest be the way of our SALVATION and the means of ascent to the heavenly Kingdom.

Richard of Laurence: Mary, in fine, is the mistress of heaven; for there she commands as she wills, and ADMITS whom she wills.

Guerric: …he who serves Mary and for whom she intercedes, is as CERTAIN of heaven as if he were already there…and those who DO NOT serve Mary will NOT BE SAVED.

Anselm: It suffices, O Lady, that thou willest it, and our SALVATION is certain.

Antoninus: …souls protected by Mary, and on which she casts her eyes, are NECESSARILY JUSTIFIED AND SAVED.