With apologies to those who have always held her in high regard, I’ve always felt a bit squeamish about focusing on Mary, the mother of Jesus. I grew up Protestant in a largely Roman Catholic area of the Southwest. Even today, while religious affiliation has diminished, in my hometown of El Paso, Texas, 43.2% identify as Catholic and 42.3% identify with no religion. The remaining 14.5 per cent of residents are divided among Evangelical Protestants, mainline Protestants and other groups. As a Methodist girl curious about Mary in my largely Catholic community, I noticed she was frequently adorned with a halo in many paintings and icons. I was guilty of…