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Keep in mind, as well, that it is through Mary that Jesus took on human flesh. No Mary, no Jesus. There was no other woman waiting in the wings.

Really? How do you know that?

Scripture. The angel Gabriel said, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you" (Luke 1:28). The phrase "full of grace" is a translation of the Greek word kecharitomene. It therefore expresses a characteristic quality of Mary. Kecharitomene is a perfect passive participle of charitoo, meaning "to fill or endow with grace." Since this term is in the perfect tense, it indicates that Mary was graced in the past but with continuing effects in the present. So, the grace Mary enjoyed was not a result of the angel’s visit. In fact, Catholics hold, it extended over the whole of her life, from conception onward. She was in a state of sanctifying grace from the first moment of her existence.cf

The angel Gabriel said, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you" (Luke 1:28). The phrase "full of grace" is a translation of the Greek word kecharitomene. It therefore expresses a characteristic quality of Mary.

Since the same Greek word is used in Ephesians 1:6, does mean that Mary and the Church of Ephesus shared the same characteristic quality????

Kecharitomene is a perfect passive participle of charitoo, meaning "to fill or endow with grace." Since this term is in the perfect tense, it indicates that Mary was graced in the past but with continuing effects in the present. So, the grace Mary enjoyed was not a result of the angel’s visit.

Well I think that it is reasonable to assume that before Gabriel spoke those words, in fact, before he was sent to her, that the grace of God was extended to her. If it was extended to her at the beginning of Gabriel's mission to her, then that would easily explain the verb tense, right???.

In fact, Catholics hold, it extended over the whole of her life, from conception onward. She was in a state of sanctifying grace from the first moment of her existence.cf

Don't you think that is being just a little arbitrary??? Could it have been when she was 6 years old or 10 years or 15??? If you are going to be arbitrary about it, then there's no reason to settle on just the day of her conception/birth. For that matter, why not go all the way back to her father and mother and ancestors, or any other past occasion would easily do. Just how far back do you want to go with that grace???

Scripture. The angel Gabriel said, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you" (Luke 1:28). The phrase "full of grace" is a translation of the Greek word kecharitomene. It therefore expresses a characteristic quality of Mary. Kecharitomene is a perfect passive participle of charitoo, meaning "to fill or endow with grace." Since this term is in the perfect tense, it indicates that Mary was graced in the past but with continuing effects in the present. So, the grace Mary enjoyed was not a result of the angel’s visit. In fact, Catholics hold, it extended over the whole of her life, from conception onward. She was in a state of sanctifying grace from the first moment of her existence.cf

Is DR the only Bible you use? What of the great majority of Catholic Bibles which use the term "highly favored"? Are they useless?

Do you imagine you can find a Catholic Answers article which addresses the same verse in those "other" Bible versions?

She was in a state of sanctifying grace from the first moment of her existence.

A complete fable which ultimately leads to the gross errors of Mariology, praying to Mary, viewing Mary as "co-redeemer" and "dispensatrix of all grace" and the blasphemous RCC insult to Christ that says Mary suffers for our sins.