It is the fundamental mark of her consecration to God. It is fitting for her dignity and integrity.
https://stpaulcenter.com/understanding-marys-perpetual-virginity/
Discussion
How would Joseph and Mary bring fruitful and multiplying be of any harm to their integrity? They were not forbade further children by Jesus or the angels.
The most Holy people throughout the scriptures were celibate. Christ sets the highest standard & example for us to follow.
Paul goes on to encourage a monastic, ascetic lifestyle if possible (not possible for most, in which case he says to get married so you don’t fall under sexual temptation/sin).
That way, you can fully focus on following and becoming more like Christ.
Keeping this in mind, check out this video which summarizes the view that the Church has always had of Mary - that she was the Mother of God (Theotokos), the very first Christian, and that she is the most Holy woman to ever live:
Good points! Mary was a temple virgin in the customs of the Jews of the time. More about that here:
https://taylormarshall.com/2011/12/did-jewish-temple-virgins-exist-and-was.html
They were not forbidden from having children. They choose this of their own free will.
With respect, the argument made in the link you posted is that virginity is crucial to her identity, but the Scriptural context is that the virginity of Mary was an essential aspect of Christ's birth as the God-man. The focus and emphasis of her virginity centers on Christ, not as a core identity marker of who Mary was.
It also compares her typologically to the Ark of the Covenant, saying "Mary, like the Ark, had been set apart from everything else in creation. She contained the presence of God within her, closed to everyone and everything else in this respect." If by "in this respect" the writer means "bearing the physically incarnate messiah, then sure. But all believers now contain the very presence of God. The ark, tabernacle, and temple were all covanental foreshadows of Christ's very people being his dwelling place. Her virginity, post resurrection, is of no spiritual advantage over any other believer in the new covenant.
As Catholics, we do not believe that all believers “contain the very presence of God.” We believe Christ is fully manifest - body, blood, soul, and divinity - in the Eucharist that is offered at Mass and reposed in the tabernacle on the altar.
At the risk of taking the conversation down a slight tangent, I am curious about what you make of verses like Romans 8:11, "But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.", or 1 Corinthians 3:16, 6:19, or 2 Corinthians 6:16, or anywhere else in the NT that mentions the indwelling of the Spirit. Do you see the indwelling of the Spirit as not the very presence of God? Honest question.
We receive the Holy Spirit at Baptism and Confirmation. He works in us and gives us the gifts we need to live as God intends for us. However this presence of the Holy Spirit is not at the same level of the “True Presence” where we receive Christ in the Eucharist, body and blood.
It is also worth noting that receiving the Eucharist does not make us tabernacles. The Real Presence does not remain with us and we do not carry and bear Him in the same way that Mary did.
Everyone needs to understand that Catholics ARE NOT Christians, example above ^
The discussion has been civil and everyone was earnestly trying to understand one another until now. In spirit of that, I’m going to ask you to explain how anything I said makes Catholics not Christian?
Interesting. Thanks for the explanation.