This is Regarding an Old Friend

[aliciar]

This is question is in regards to a woman I once knew. She is catholic and was a nun before she had to leave do to mental and physical problems. She married and had three children. Because of her disablity, her husband divorced her and he took sole custody of the kids. Not only that, but he had a vacectomy and has treated her like garbage. Doesn’t treat her well. He dosen’t hit her but he is verbally abusive. Yet she is submissive. She won’t leave because of the kids. She was tempted a while back to leave and go with another guy, but she prayed and is with him. She is faithful and loyal to him and he is not. Does she have to deal with it or does she have the right to leave? If a man treated me like that, I would leave right awa.

 

[Irishmom2]

I am a bit confused. You say her husband divorced her and then you say she is not leaving him… If he has in fact divorced her, what is your question really?

 

[aliciar]

Yes they are divorced. but he allows her to live with him because of the children. My question is what does the Church teach regarding abusive and unfaithful husbands?

 

[EvelynEVF]

The Church teaches that the wife may certainly leave to protect her own safety, and that includes mental.

Now that she is divorced, I wonder if it would satisfy her scruples to begin annulment procedures. If she had a declaration of nullity, it might be freeing to her, and working through the process with an objective third party might help her to see things more clearly.