[ealgeone]

i cited James just to explain why Mary was expelled from the temple. the infancy narrative of James is not the source of the Catholic doctrine. in fact as I noted several times it reflects the Greek believe, not the Catholic one; Catholics reject the theory expressed in james that Joseph had sons older than Jesus.

catholic.com disagrees with you.

An important historical document which supports the teaching of Mary’s perpetual virginity is the Protoevangelium of James, which was written probably less than sixty years after the conclusion of Mary’s earthly life (around A.D. 120), when memories of her life were still vivid in the minds of many.

However, due to considerations of ceremonial cleanliness, it was eventually necessary for Mary, a consecrated "virgin of the Lord," to have a guardian or protector who would respect her vow of virginity. Thus, according to the Protoevangelium, Joseph, an elderly widower who already had children, was chosen to be her spouse. (This would also explain why Joseph was apparently dead by the time of Jesus’ adult ministry, since he does not appear during it in the gospels, and since Mary is entrusted to John, rather than to her husband Joseph, at the crucifixion).

http://www.catholic.com/tracts/mary-ever-virgin

Do catholics really know their own history??

[dangus]

I’m not sure where you’re sensing a disagreement between Catholic.com and what I said, but the protoevangelium of James cites that Joseph had older sons, whereas the prevailing Catholic position, which is non-doctrinal, expressed by Jerome, is that Joseph was also a virgin.