Have reached a dark place -- trying to move forward

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Mdf21

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Hello everyone,

I am seeking prayers because sometimes it seems as though mine are not enough. I feel completely connected to God and always feel safe talking to Him, but I am hurting; my heart is in pain.

I have been with my husband since 2008, married since 2010. We met on a trip, fell in love, and have done everything to be together. I live in Canada and he lives in the United States. The long distance is really taking its toll, it will be four years in October.

Not only do we have the challenge of distance, but we have the challenge of sex addiction as well. My husband is also Catholic and goes to Church every Sunday. It seems he is very safe and comfortable with his addiction; he has not cheated on me physically, only through email, texting, and online dating sites. He has never given me a reason to think or feel it has been physical, and in the first few years he was comfortable opening up about his problem. Now, he has closed off and says, “this is how I am, I am never going to change.” I have prayed for him and gone to Church with him, where I get very emotional because I feel he isn’t trying to get better for me, but most of all for him.

I come from a family who cares unconditionally and will do any and everything for each other. His family has just recently become closer, because they are older and their Mother has passed last year. His upbringing was much different and he was touched inappropriately while in foster care briefly when he was young. I feel his upbringing has made him closed off, because things have “always worked out” for him, so why change?

The issue now is that I am visiting him for 10 days and we continue to get in to arguments. We have not been ourselves. We still cuddle and say I love you every day, but something has changed. He says it is nothing, but I fear he is interested in someone else. His phone never goes off, but I noticed a phone call coming in from his best friends sister, who is engaged. I have caught him speaking to other women, mostly flirting and telling them what they want to hear, again stemming from his addiction. He says he has been much better, but I know that the addiction cannot go away on its own. I pray every day for him to wan to change and get help. I continuously tell him how wonderful and HEALTHY life can be, but he says he is happy with life now. The problem is, I am not. We used to talk, connect, and the distance is something we have both never experienced before, so clearly, he is being a good husband by sticking it out, but we are having trouble finding balance between my needs and his.

I am asking for your prayers. I know he loves me, he has never wanted a divorce and when we talk about how hard it is, we can never say we give up. He knows how understanding, patient, and supportive I have been, but I now feel that has turned to him just being comfortable with me accepting him and the situation; at the end of the day, he is still not healthy. Please please please pray for us and our situation. I am getting my visa papers in maybe 5-8 months, but that just seems so far away. I have turned to support groups and they all say if he doesn’t change, leave. I need my Catholic family, because divorce is not in my head. I am hurting and am looking for change. I know miracles usually pertain to sickness and tragedies, so I feel uncomfortable using that word… But I truly need something. Time after time, we have shown we want to be together. But something needs to change so that we are both happy and healthy for when we get to be together.

Thank you so much, my new Family. This is a place where I can be myself and say the things I cannot express openly. Thank you all.
  • Mary
 
I recommend you and your husband to the Blessed Virgin Mary. May she help your husband to seek help for his problem and open his eyes to his infidelity. May he know that adultery is desiring or looking at someone other than a spouse in an impure way, and get himself to the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the healing, strength and reconciliation he needs. I pray that your situation improves greatly through the very powerful intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. May you invoke her regularly for her assistance, and obtain her most powerful help. Amen…
 
I have turned to support groups and they all say if he doesn’t change, leave. I need my Catholic family, because divorce is not in my head.
Leave doesn’t mean divorce. Leave means separate for a time to show him that there are consequences to his actions. Since you are already physically separated, you will have to figure out what that means in your situation. He is not being a good husband. Right now he has your love, and doesn’t have to change, so it’s not a big deal to him. There are temporal consequences to his sin, so don’t make it easy for him to continue in sin. I know this is a very difficult situation (been in a similar one).

O Holy Patroness of those in need, St. Rita, whose pleadings before thy Divine Lord are almost irresistible, who for thy lavishness in granting favors hast been called the Advocate of the Hopeless and even of the Impossible; St. Rita, so humble, so pure, so mortified, so patient and of such compassionate love for thy Crucified Jesus that thou could obtain from Him whatsoever thou ask, on account of which all confidently have recourse to thee, expecting, if not always relief, at least comfort; be propitious to our petition, showing thy power with God on behalf of thy suppliant; be lavish to us, as thou hast been in so many wonderful cases, for the greater glory of God, for the spreading of thine own devotion, and for the consolation of those who trust in thee. We promise, if our petition is granted, to glorify, thee by making known thy favor, to bless and sing thy praises forever. Relying then upon thy merits and power before the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we pray: (here mention your request).
Obtain for us our request
By the singular merits of thy childhood,
Bv thy perfect union with the Divine Will,
By thy heroic sufferings during thy married life,
By the consolation thou didst experience at the conversion of thy husband,
By the sacrifice of thy children rather than see them grievously offend God,
By thy miraculous entrance into the convent,
By thy severe penances and thrice daily bloody scourgings,
By the suffering caused by the wound thou didst receive from the thorn of thy Crucified Savior,
By the divine love which consumed thy heart,
By that remarkable devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, on which alone thou didst exist for 4 years,
By the happiness with which thou didst part from thy trials to join thy Divine Spouse,
By the perfect example thou gavest to people of every state of life.
Pray for us, 0 holy St. Rita,
that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
 
***Hail Mary,
Full of Grace,
The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit
of thy womb,
Jesus.
Holy Mary,
Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of death.

Amen

 
Thank you for your prayers, they mean the world to me. I will continue to pray not only for him but for myself.

*Dear Constant, I think I may have to separate myself. They say to never criticize an addict, for they will stray further from the truth. I am scared he will leave or result to adultery because he has ‘freedom’ but that may be a risk I might need to take. I don’t understand how he believes and prays to God as much as I, and in the end, he refuses to see and understand how one should be for his wife. This is why I have felt darkness; I have reached a bottom that no one can change but my husband, through God. Thank you.
 
They say to never criticize an addict, for they will stray further from the truth.
Jesus says we should speak the truth, with love, and that the truth will set us free.
I am scared he will leave or result to adultery because he has ‘freedom’ but that may be a risk I might need to take.
If he leaves or commits adultery, simply because circumstances allow it, then it didn’t take much to cause him to sin, did it? IMO he has already committed adultery. Jesus says in Matthew 5:
27“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery’; 28but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Lord, heal this woman’s marriage. Convict her husband and please may he go to confession. Let him have a contrite heart and stop causing so much pain.

Mary, look down upon your daughter. Be with her and obtain healing for her marriage.

Hail Mary, full of grace. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death Amen.
 
St. Rita had very many problems with her husband and with her children. I will prayer to her for you…

Holy Patroness of those in need, Saint Rita, you were humble, pure and patient. Your pleadings with your divine Spouse are irresistible, so please obtain for me from our risen Jesus the request I make of you. Be kind to me for the greater glory of God, and I shall honor you and sing your praises forever. Glorious Saint Rita, you miraculously participated in the sorrowful passion of our Lord Jesus Christ. Obtain for me now the grace to suffer with resignation the troubles of this life, and protect me in all my needs.

Amen.
 
Mary, Mary Magdalene, and Dymphna please pray for this couple, that she might have strength and wisdom, and he find repentance and chastity. Amen.
 
  • NeedsMercy,
    I have just read up on St. Rita; her story has touched me and made me connect with her in a very spiritual and personal way. I will pray to her, keep God in my heart, and separate myself to focus on my goals and needs. That is all I can do right now.
Thank you all for your continued prayers and support, this site has truly helped me and it’s been less than 24 hours! Because my husband tries to live purely and by the way of Catholicism, I know there will come a day when he sees he needs change; I know the day will come. God will connect with him in some way, shape, or form. I will also pray to his mother, who is among God. Although we have never met, I know she sees how much I love him and how strong my faith and hope is for something good to happen for us all.
 
St. Rita, you suffered so much during your married life,
and received such consolation at the conversion of your husband,
pray for this marriage. Please give the husband contrition and hatred for his sin. Please give the wife courage and comfort. Please give them both love for Jesus and desire to do His will. Amen
 
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help or sought your intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto you, O Virgin of virgins, my mother. To you do we come, before you we stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the WORD Incarnate, despise not my petitions but in thy mercy hear and answer us. Amen.
 
Thank you 😃 I am working hard to stay positive and know God will be by my side.
 
Change is possible for your husband. First, however, he must admit he has a problem. Then he should attend Sexaholics Anonymous (SA) (sa.org/). He should avoid other “S” fellowships as SA is the only one the defines sobriety as sex between a husband and wife (no masturbation, no same sex relations, no sex outside marriage, etc).

Until he is willing to attend SA meetings see if you can both join the Angelic Warfare Confraternity. It is a very, very, very spiritually powerful group run by the Dominicans (angelicwarfare.org/) with specific daily prayers for chastity.

Another good one is the Rosary Confraternity (rosary-center.org/) also run by the Dominicans.

You should seek out and attend S-Anon meetings (sanon.org/) as one impacted by a sex addicts behavior.

These things have been very helpful with my in my struggles with lust (the real problem). I have been free of impurity and sexual sin for nearly two years. I am willing to speak to your husband if he wants to hear more.
 
I have decided to take time and separate from my husband, for him to find the love we once had. It is hard, it hurts, and I am scared, but it is what I need to do to move forward and regain trust, love, and heal.
 
It is truly unfortunate when things turn out like this. We will all keep praying for a peaceful resolution to your situation.

Holy Patroness of those in need, Saint Rita, you were humble, pure and patient. Your pleadings with your divine Spouse are irresistible, so please obtain for me from our risen Jesus the request I make of you. Be kind to me for the greater glory of God, and I shall honor you and sing your praises forever. Glorious Saint Rita, you miraculously participated in the sorrowful passion of our Lord Jesus Christ. Obtain for me now the grace to suffer with resignation the troubles of this life, and protect me in all my needs.

Amen.

:gopray:
 
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