Dear [Fr Arthur Calkins],
I have finally got round to reading your very fine new article upholding Our Lady's Virginity in partu against Fr. Zimmermann et al. Congratulations!
Unfortunately, as you can see by scrolling down, the usually very orthodox Homiletic and Pastoral Review (now online only) has just published an article by a layman with a Master's degree in Theoology, defending Archbishop Mueller's views on this subject. The author quotes them extensively, giving a lengthy translation of that whole section of Mueller's German dogma text. But it seems to me that this fuller exposition of Mueller's views, far from reassuring us that he holds to the Tradition on this matter, only confirms the already widely circulated criticisms of those who claim that he fails to do so.
While Mueller acknowledges that it is of faith that Mary was a virgin "before, during and after the birth of Jesus", his interpretation of the second of these phases (in partu) falls foul not only of that Holy Office monitum you refer to (which I didn't previously know about), but also - and more seriously - of Vatican I's solemn anathema against giving a sense to any Catholic dogma which is different to the sense which the Church has perennially ascribed to it (cf. DS 3043 = Dz 1818).
Basically, Mueller is 'demythologizing' the virginity in partu; for he says it is "not about" biological "anomalies" such as Mary's hymen not being broken. It's just about 'spiritual' realities (grace, salvation, or whatever). But that "biological" aspect is precisely what the Church has always meant in speaking of the virginity in partu. It was something miraculous. Obviously it could not possibly mean anything so gross as that Mary had no sexual intercourse with any man during the birth of Jesus! For that is already crudely obvious to everyone as knowable from elementary unaided human reason; so it could not possibly have ever been proposed by the Church as part of our faith, as something we are to believe on the revealing authority of God's word!
It looks to me as if the HPR, in publishing such an article, is falling into human respect ("Mueller is now such a Big Shot in the Church that, whatever he says, we're going to defend him").
As you can see if you click on the link below and read Mr. Michael Miller's apologia for Mueller's opinions, there is space at the end of the article for readers' comments. One reader has already referred to your article as an antidote. But I think it would be good if you considered adding a comment of your own.
Fraternally in the Infant Jesus and his Ever-Virgin Mother,
[Fr Brian Harrison]
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