Desperate for help

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grisou

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I desperately need help. I have been married for 3 years and a half and I have a little boy of 21 months. My marriage is far from perfect, but there were no major issues. About 7 weeks ago, after asking my husband what was wrong with him (he looked unhappy), he told me he wanted to leave the marriage. He said he has never loved me, we had never been happy and that he wanted to be a priest and did not tell me earlier ( we took a month off during our engagement for him to figure out if he wanted to be a priest or get married) because I would have cried. I had to insist for him to come to counselling with me because he did not want to. He said that it was nothing that I had done, i was an extraordinary person and I just chose the wrong husband. He did not know what marriage was and he made a mistake. I insisted for counselling because the sacrament is important to me and it is not logical to just want to leave without any logical reason. After the first meeting with the priest (trained marriage counsellor), my husband thanked me and told me that he wanted to work things out and would have been mad at himself if he just left like that. However, a few days later, he told me his heart was not in it and that he wanted out of the relationship. I told him to give the marriage a honest chance and to let me know if there was anything that I had done that was upsetting him. He insisted that it was nothing that I did, that he just wanted to be a priest and be alone. For the last six weeks, I feel like I have been strung along, where he says will try and then crushes all hope every time I think things are going better. My husband began very attached to his cell phone and started taking long walks and texting non-stop. Messages were coming in late at night and I asked him if there was something I should know (I thought he was cheating on me). I asked him if he was truly making an honest effort to make things work and he answered that only time would tell (???). I felt like he was just playing with my emotions and I contacted my marriage counsellor and told that I felt that my husband was being dishonest and just wanted out of the marriage and was trying to find any excuse to do it. I told the priest that I wanted to ask him to answer truthfully if he wanted to work things out or not because I could not keep not sleeping or eating the way that I have been for the last few weeks. My husband said that he wanted out again insisting that there was nothing I could do and that he was not involved with someone else. I told him that it was time to let our families know. I spoke to my parents and he spoke to his mom (who is a single woman, has never been married or been in a relationship in her life, she unofficially adopted him). When he came back from his mom’s, he hugged me and told me he wanted to work things out, that he was back and that he would stop playing with me and that he had not been present in the past. I told him that these issues could not just disappear like that and that it he had to explore them because no one can change their mind in 2 hours. I said that he should take one month off and think things through (this was also suggested by the counsellor during our session). The next morning, he had changed his mind and wanted to leave again. I feel like my husband has been dishonest for all of the duration of counselling. First he wanted to be a priest, then he just wants to be alone… after he tells me that he would consider being with a woman in the future. Something is not clear in all this. Then, his mom decides to make a family reunion to talk about things because she said no one would just get up and leave if nothing was wrong (and I agree). Now, after insisting for the last 2 months that it is nothing that I have done, my husband sat done and wrote a list of things that upset him in our relationship. He then proceeded to read that list to his mom in front of me and my family ( I had no idea what was on the list because he never shared it with me before everyone got together). I am extremely upset because this should have been done in counselling, plus his mom basically told me that I am the woman and thus I have to make all the concessions. She basically told me that her son is not a talkative person and got married before he was ready and that he did not tell me he wanted to be a priest because he was afraid to hurt my feelings. I feel like my husband just wants to leave and is trying to find any excuse to do so and save face. He said that even if he left me, it doesn’t make him not respect the sacrament because he did not know what it entailed. I asked him that if we worked on his list of 8 years of things that he kept bottled in (despite my asking him on a regular basis if something was wrong whenever I thought he was upset), would he be willing to stay… His answer was, I will question myself about it. I feel like my husband just wants out and I lost some respect for him. I find his behaviour extremely dishonest and I feel like he just wants to look good in his mother’s eyes and that is why he produced that list (why not produce it when I asked for one in counselling). He has been playing with my heart for 6 weeks too many now. He will take a month off of the family in april (no contact with me or his son) to see if he wants to work things out. I feel like he will just come and say he wants out and I don’t even know if I want him to stay anymore. I need advice.
 
I dont know what advice to give you. Somebody ought to slap this guys head 10 times.
He is a DAD and a husband.

Whenever did he get into his mind that he was free to do whatever…

Tell him that he has a son, and that he needs to be a fulltime dad. Just how is he gonna take care of the baby, feed him, comfort him etc… and fullfill his selfish dreams at the same time?
Dont let him get away with an idea that you will just be a single mom in the future and he doesnt need to be a fulltime dad.

Did you not see any indication of dishonesty, or psychological disturbance before you married the guy? How long have you known him?
 
Somebody ought to slap this guys head 10 times.
:rotfl: 👍👍👍
Tell him that he has a son, and that he needs to be a fulltime dad. Just how is he gonna take care of the baby, feed him, comfort him etc… and fullfill his selfish dreams at the same time?
I agree with Grace, however, “wants to be a priest and be alone” & “messages were coming in late at night” do not match !!!

I think it’s better if you let the Priest speak with him again and reminds him of Matthew 5:32, also I would recommend letting some close friends involve in this matter before it complicates more, finally, pray for the Lord, because He is the only one who can change your husband heart.
 
I dated him four 4 years before marrying him and gave him a month to think his decision about whether he wanted to get married or not. He said he was choosing marriage over priesthood and now he is telling me that he just did not have the courage to hurt me and tell me the truth: that he wanted to be a priest. Since he was so a religious guy, I never ever dreamed that he would ever walk out and leave like that. I told him this morning that I was upset that he waited until his mom came to actually air out things that bothered him in the relationship and he said that all these difficulties came because his true vocation is to be a priest. I am praying every day for the situation to change, but I cannot force him to stay. As for family and friends to get involved in the matter, our families know and there is a bias. His mom seems to think that I am the one who is too sensitive and I complained about too many things and that is why we ended up where we are. We are going back to the priest in 2 weeks, hopefully that will help but I have lost all hope.
Thank you for the advice Grace and Sam I really appreciate it.
P.S. As for the texting, he says that he is not cheating on me and that it was simply a friend he was texting. Maybe it isn’t the truth, but I don’t think there is a big scale affair going on. However, since I have confronted him about all the texting, it has stopped.
I think that he just wants out of the marriage, hopefully annul it and become a priest. Is this possible? Can you become a priest after being married?
 
I dated him four 4 years before marrying him and gave him a month to think his decision about whether he wanted to get married or not. He said he was choosing marriage over priesthood and now he is telling me that he just did not have the courage to hurt me and tell me the truth: that he wanted to be a priest. Since he was so a religious guy, I never ever dreamed that he would ever walk out and leave like that. I told him this morning that I was upset that he waited until his mom came to actually air out things that bothered him in the relationship and he said that all these difficulties came because his true vocation is to be a priest. I am praying every day for the situation to change, but I cannot force him to stay. As for family and friends to get involved in the matter, our families know and there is a bias. His mom seems to think that I am the one who is too sensitive and I complained about too many things and that is why we ended up where we are. We are going back to the priest in 2 weeks, hopefully that will help but I have lost all hope.
Thank you for the advice Grace and Sam I really appreciate it.
P.S. As for the texting, he says that he is not cheating on me and that it was simply a friend he was texting. Maybe it isn’t the truth, but I don’t think there is a big scale affair going on. However, since I have confronted him about all the texting, it has stopped.
I think that he just wants out of the marriage, hopefully annul it and become a priest. Is this possible? Can you become a priest after being married?
It might be… but a guy who marries and then walks out on his wife and kid is not called to be a priest. He is called to fulfill the vocation he has CHOSEN. Thats the vocation he is called to honor.
I cannot imagine that any seminaries will accept a guy who walks out of his wife and kid… no way.
God gave us free will and we make a choice, and God works with our choices… When a man marries whether he also had a potential vocation to marriage, he doesn’t have it anymore.
Again your husband sounds very immature. I hope your priest is strong tells your husband that his place is to honour his vows.
 
With a wife and a child, I don’t think the priesthood is in his future! How does he address the fact that he has a child with you?

I do not agree with your husbands mother that the woman needs to make all the concessions. Frankly, that would not be good for either one of you.

I do think you need to be taking some steps to make a life for yourself and your child. Do you work? Could you fill your day with some things outside your home? Have lunch with friends etc. Take good care of yourself with regard to eating and sleeping. I see you said you could not eat or sleep - try to do so. If necessary, sleep in another room.

I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.
 
I disagree with a lot of what is being said here. You can’t FORCE a man to be a good husband by repeating the old “you made your bed” adage. This guy sounds like a jerk. If I were you, I would divorce him and seek an anullment. You are young enough that you and yur chid can still have a happy lice without forever feeling like someone’s second choice. You still have a chance of finding someone who will love you and your child like crazy. This guy has problems and deserves to be alone.

With 4 years of dating and him needing a month off to determine whether or not he wanted to be a PRIEST-major red flag. I would have been out of there already. Now, 3 years of marriage and a baby later and he’s still singing the same tune? Time to go.
 
Just ask him: “So when are you and the boy leaving?”

That will probably leave him standing like :eek: “Who me? I should take care of the baby?”

And you act like: “well of course, what were you thinking? As a matter of fact, I also dont want you anymore, and I also wanna have a clean beginning… so when are you and your son moving out?”

Now I know you would never leave your child… But such a little act might just get into the thick skull of your husband that there isn’t such a thing as “just turning time back”, and that his responsibility is to be with you and your common child…

Its unbelievable that a man who wishes to forsake his wife and child thinks he can somehow suddenly be a father for a congregation… wherever did he get such an idea?

And since he is the father he needs someone to throw a bucket of cold water over his head, so he can finally understand that this is the reality of the situation and the public vow he has made.
 
Wow, I am so sorry that you are going through this. But you do need to stop paying so much attention to his antics. It’s a rotten shame that he is doing this to you and to his son, but the sooner you pick yourself up, paste a smile on your face, and start your own life again, the better. I’m going to lay a wager that when you stop giving him all your attention and being so distressed, he’ll beg to come back (but you should NOT take him back). The back and forth he is doing is sheer manipulation. He is not a man in any sense of the word. He wants to be a priest and be ALONE?? What in the world does he believe priesthood to be?? Even monks live in community!! He’s muddled up in his thinking. Don’t let him confuse you. You need to start life for you and your son. I hope you have family that you can turn to for help.

I am not saying you should immediately divorce him or grant him a divorce, just take the focus off him. Pretend he has died if you need to. What would you do if he simply disappeared off the face of the earth? And then do those things. Get up every day, take care of your son, start looking for work if you don’t have a job, etc. Do it all as cheerfully as you can. Be strong for your son and whatever you do, DO NOT give him any more power to manipulate you!
 
Thank you for all your responses. My husband is supposed to take another month off to decide if he wants to stay or not. However, I feel like his mind is already made up and he wants to leave. Furthermore, after failing to produce a list of complaints when it was time (at counselling), I find myself not wanting to work things out anymore. I feel like TheRealJuliane is right in him manipulating me. I am just worried that if I tell him to get out now without giving him the month off, I won’t get an annulment because I am not doing everything in my power to work things out. Why would I? How do I know he won’t do the same thing in a year? I don’t feel the same respect for him. Plus, I don’t think the month will make a difference because he told me this morning that priesthood was his true calling and that even if there could be joy in the marriage, it wouldn’t be the same joy as if he had followed priesthood because God give you immense joy in your true calling. This is why, he told me, he failed to produce a list of complaints before his mama came to save the day. He feels that if he were a priest, he would not have had to go through all the difficulties we went through. I asked if he though that the way to priesthood was an easy path, and surely there were some difficulties. Some people leave the seminary at the end of their studies, changing their minds about the whole thing. The grass always seems greener, I said. However, he maintains that he could easily cope with the difficulties of priesthood. I feel like the month off will be useless and even if he were to change his mind, right now I don’t believe I would accept to work on things. I am not a toy. I have a job and it will be hard, but I can manage to take care of my son.
 
Thank you for all your responses. My husband is supposed to take another month off to decide if he wants to stay or not. However, I feel like his mind is already made up and he wants to leave. Furthermore, after failing to produce a list of complaints when it was time (at counselling), I find myself not wanting to work things out anymore. I feel like TheRealJuliane is right in him manipulating me. I am just worried that if I tell him to get out now without giving him the month off, I won’t get an annulment because I am not doing everything in my power to work things out. Why would I? How do I know he won’t do the same thing in a year? I don’t feel the same respect for him. Plus, I don’t think the month will make a difference because he told me this morning that priesthood was his true calling and that even if there could be joy in the marriage, it wouldn’t be the same joy as if he had followed priesthood because God give you immense joy in your true calling. This is why, he told me, he failed to produce a list of complaints before his mama came to save the day. He feels that if he were a priest, he would not have had to go through all the difficulties we went through. I asked if he though that the way to priesthood was an easy path, and surely there were some difficulties. Some people leave the seminary at the end of their studies, changing their minds about the whole thing. The grass always seems greener, I said. However, he maintains that he could easily cope with the difficulties of priesthood. I feel like the month off will be useless and even if he were to change his mind, right now I don’t believe I would accept to work on things. I am not a toy. I have a job and it will be hard, but I can manage to take care of my son.
Tell him good luck finding a seminary that will accept him knowing he abandoned his family-I’m sure they will have confidence that he can make a lifelong commitment to God and the community when he can’t make a 3 year commitment to his own wife and son- and not to let the door to hit him in the priestly arse on the way out.

This loser has wasted enough of your time. Don’t give him any more.
 
Thank you for all your responses. My husband is supposed to take another month off to decide if he wants to stay or not. However, I feel like his mind is already made up and he wants to leave. Furthermore, after failing to produce a list of complaints when it was time (at counselling), I find myself not wanting to work things out anymore. I feel like TheRealJuliane is right in him manipulating me. I am just worried that if I tell him to get out now without giving him the month off, I won’t get an annulment because I am not doing everything in my power to work things out. Why would I? How do I know he won’t do the same thing in a year? I don’t feel the same respect for him. Plus, I don’t think the month will make a difference because he told me this morning that priesthood was his true calling and that even if there could be joy in the marriage, it wouldn’t be the same joy as if he had followed priesthood because God give you immense joy in your true calling. This is why, he told me, he failed to produce a list of complaints before his mama came to save the day. He feels that if he were a priest, he would not have had to go through all the difficulties we went through. I asked if he though that the way to priesthood was an easy path, and surely there were some difficulties. Some people leave the seminary at the end of their studies, changing their minds about the whole thing. The grass always seems greener, I said. However, he maintains that he could easily cope with the difficulties of priesthood. I feel like the month off will be useless and even if he were to change his mind, right now I don’t believe I would accept to work on things. I am not a toy. I have a job and it will be hard, but I can manage to take care of my son.
I do not believe that your decision not to keep trying to work things out will have anything to do with a possible annulment. The annulment process is to determine if the marriage was valid to start with, so what you are doing now is not really relevant in that regard. His attitude about wanting to be a priest and then getting married anyway will be the most important factor to the tribunal, I’m sure.

I am SO GLAD you have a means of support! I am deeply sorry that your husband is such a stupid fool, and I say that with all charity. 😛 Seriously, he has a SON and should step up and be a father and husband, he took the vows before God and he helped to make that child, what a fool, and how cruel it is to suddenly change his mind.

I doubt if any seminary is going to accept him, and if they did, I would question their legitimacy. It’s not easy to get into seminary, it’s kind of like getting into the Marines - The Few, The Proud, etc. They don’t accept just anyone, and there are a lot of interviews to go through as well as applications, etc. I suspect your husband just wants out and is using this as his path. I would be surprised if he ever even applies, although he may talk about it for the rest of his life.

To be honest, you should have dropped him like a hot potato when he was deciding about this before you were married. I’m sorry that no one in your life sat down with you and went over it with you in a detailed way. Maybe someone did express concern and you were too far into it to listen. Whatever happened, you must pick up the pieces and move on. This male (he’s not a man and does not deserve the honor) has failed you and his son. Any man who would ask for a month off from being a dad is not worth his oxygen usage.
 
Tell him good luck finding a seminary that will accept him knowing he abandoned his family-I’m sure they will have confidence that he can make a lifelong commitment to God and the community when he can’t make a 3 year commitment to his own wife and son- and not to let the door to hit him in the priestly arse on the way out.

This loser has wasted enough of your time. Don’t give him any more.
I was going to point this out as well… with how he abused the sacrament here, I certainly doubt that any seminary would open themselves up to the scandal that THIS behavior seems to indicate that he would produce…
 
Thank you for all your responses. My husband is supposed to take another month off to decide if he wants to stay or not. However, I feel like his mind is already made up and he wants to leave. Furthermore, after failing to produce a list of complaints when it was time (at counselling), I find myself not wanting to work things out anymore. I feel like TheRealJuliane is right in him manipulating me. I am just worried that if I tell him to get out now without giving him the month off, I won’t get an annulment because I am not doing everything in my power to work things out. Why would I? How do I know he won’t do the same thing in a year? I don’t feel the same respect for him. Plus, I don’t think the month will make a difference because he told me this morning that priesthood was his true calling and that even if there could be joy in the marriage, it wouldn’t be the same joy as if he had followed priesthood because God give you immense joy in your true calling. This is why, he told me, he failed to produce a list of complaints before his mama came to save the day. He feels that if he were a priest, he would not have had to go through all the difficulties we went through. I asked if he though that the way to priesthood was an easy path, and surely there were some difficulties. Some people leave the seminary at the end of their studies, changing their minds about the whole thing. The grass always seems greener, I said. However, he maintains that he could easily cope with the difficulties of priesthood. I feel like the month off will be useless and even if he were to change his mind, right now I don’t believe I would accept to work on things. I am not a toy. I have a job and it will be hard, but I can manage to take care of my son.
I would use the month that he is gone to find an apartment, contact a good divorce lawyer and look into legal protection for you and your son. The whole “true calling” priest thing is a big cop out and he knows it. He just wants out of your marriage for whatever reason.
 
I would use the month that he is gone to find an apartment, contact a good divorce lawyer and look into legal protection for you and your son. The whole “true calling” priest thing is a big cop out and he knows it. He just wants out of your marriage for whatever reason.
She should stay in there house, but just change the locks! Pack his things and leave them on the front porch. There is no reason she should leave her home to him. He can find a new place. She should contact a lawyer.

No seminary would accept him.
 
I don’t know what to tell you, but…

Your husband needs to man up.

Some of it may not be his fault - he had no father figure growing up.

But if he’s pious enough to want to be a priest, he should have enough knowledge that marriage is for life, better or worse, all that stuff. And he made those vows before God, a priest, his family, and friends. He’s in it, he needs to make the best of it.

And I call BS. Massive texting and secrecy tells me they’re not about becoming a priest.
 
Have you considered hiring a private investigator? His whole story just stinks of lies.
 
I’m not married but this guy and his type are the reason why for the most part. He’s a commitment phobic who never grew up and until he does any type of relationship with him is impossible. He’s too self centered as well and as much as he may like to forget it he has a responsibility to his child. I’d get myself a lawyer and make sure your sons interests are covered if nothing else. Prayers.
 
Have you considered hiring a private investigator? His whole story just stinks of lies.
Actually, I agree and this is good advice. He may be creating a narrative to garner an annulment and get a “no-fault” divorce with 50/50 custody, especially if he can somehow finagle HER into filing the papers for divorce. That route would make it harder for her to collect alimony and/or child support. Everything he’s saying is right in line with a script for trying to get an annulment… but it’s not playing out right because he’s OBVIOUSLY not really interested in being a priest and has no idea what it entails if he thinks it’s about being alone. The late night texts are still a problem as well.

Yes, a private investigator to gather evidence of impropriety would be a very good defensive measure for this mother to take, so that she has the freedom to pursue separation if need be and to ensure that her child goes to the adult with the proven moral track record and has the proper support from the father.
 
I dont know what advice to give you. Somebody ought to slap this guys head 10 times.
If you could beat sense into people there are several folks in my life I would have used as pinatas.

Unfortunately, you can’t. Your fists will hurt, you’ll be introuble, and they’ll still be foolish. In all the pain of watching someone you’ve cared deeply about destroying the good things in their life you still have to take care of yourself.

I would recommend getting a lawyer. Depending on the state/jurisdiction you live in a private investigator could be a waste of money. In my no-fault state it wouldn’t matter at all what they found in how it would affect the divorce settlement. A lawyer would let you know.

As all the others have pointed out, regardless of what your husband tries to do with his life, he has a son. (A true miracle in anyone’s life. Their child!) He has obligations and duties to his son. Even if he wants to be a priest, he needs to find a job that will support his child.
He ever considered being a deacon? Of course, he doesn’t have the aptitude- and he knows it- being a priest or deacon is about being there for an entire congregation, for others, their time is very rarely their own and they get called away at a moment’s notice.
He can’t even be there for his own wife, his own son, than he knows he’s not going to be there for others.
 
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