[rwa265]

If you don’t want to deal with the explanation at the link right now, fine. But one really needs to read it to understand what Catholics believe.

http://www.stgeorgegreenville.org/OurFaith/Feasts%20for%20Theotokos/Entry%20to%20Temple.html

Regarding Gabriel’s announcement to Mary. He said ‘thou shalt conceive.’ She said ‘how shalt this be, seeing I know not a man.’ This makes sense if she intended to remain a virgin. Like you said, she seemed to have some knowledge of the mechanics involved. She would want to know how she could possibly conceive if she remained a virgin.

But how does it make sense if she did not intend to remain a virgin?

[Syncro]

Regarding Gabriel's announcement to Mary. He said 'thou shalt conceive.' She said 'how shalt this be, seeing I know not a man.' This makes sense if she intended to remain a virgin.

Not at all.

It's a young girl perplexed as to how she would conceive, since she hasn't had sex, and was not planning of doing so.

At least until she was married. That "knowing a man" was put off of course, as it was decreed by God that she may not consummate her marriage until after Jesus was born.

I posted the clear scripture that shows that she and Joseph were to have a normal marriage including sex on this thread. I ain't gonna find it and post it again.

I'm sorry if this offends those that believe in the Catholic Mary and all the extraBiblical attributes with which she has been burdened.

I'm speaking only of the Biblical Mary.

[ealgeone]

It makes sense knowing Mary had not had sex with Joseph. That they were engaged indicates they were going to like any normal couple.

[Elsie]

But how does it make sense if she did not intend to remain a virgin?

Since there is ZERO evidence that she had intended to remain a virgin before the angel spoke; why even bring it up?

It was common knowledge that to remain childless in her culture was considered to be a curse.

http://thebiblicalworld.blogspot.com/2011/01/childlessness-and-bible-2-defective.html

[metmom]

She said 'how shalt this be, seeing I know not a man.'

It makes sense that she wasn't having sex with Joseph before the proper time for the marriage to be consummated.

Basically, she said, *How can this be since I'm not having sex with any man?*

She used the present tense. Whether or not she ever intended to have sex is really irrelevant.

The fact of the matter is she knew she was a virgin and knew how babies were made, and and it didn't make sense to her that she could be pregnant under her current circumstances.