We had a question in our question box that asked why the Church teaches Mary is a perpetual virgin?
Anything we learn or know about Mary points to something about Christ. Why does the Church proclaim Mary a virgin before and after Jesus’s birth? Jesus was conceived solely by the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus was conceived “by the Holy Spirit without human seed.” CCC 496 This also fulfilled the prophecy from the prophet Isaiah “Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son…” Christ’s birth did not did not diminish his mother’s virginal integrity but sanctified it.
The Church proclaims that Mary remained a virgin even after Christ’s birth. At the Annunciation Mary gave herself in totality to the will of the Father. The catechism states, “Mary is a virgin because her virginity is the sign of her faith “unadulterated by any doubt,” and of her undivided gift of herself to God’s will.” During the annunciation Mary accepted the will of God perfectly that she would bear a Son even though she was a virgin. Mary’s virginity is a sign of Mary’s belief and trust in the Father’s will. “Let it be done to me according to thy Word.”
Mary’s virginal motherhood is a part of God’s plan. The Church teaches that Jesus Christ is the new Adam and Mary is the new Eve. “By his virginal conception Jesus, the new Adam, ushers in the new birth of children adopted by the Holy Spirit through faith.” We participate in divine life by virtue of our Baptism… not by flesh. In our Baptism we can call God our Father and Mary our Mother. We participate in divine life not by flesh but of the will of God. The acceptance of our life in Christ is virginal because it is the Spirit’s gift to man. “The spousal character of the human vocation in relation to God is fulfilled perfectly in Mary’s virginal motherhood.” CCC 1265