Sorry, but I grew up in a fundamentally flawed marriage/family that suffered horribly for years until my very ethical and religious father finally realized that divorce would be better for us children, rather than trying to keep it together. I was already gone by that time but my (late) younger brother was massively scarred and paid for it his entire life. My father actually contemplated the possibility that she was possessed. It sure as hell seemed like it at the time.
My older brother and I have plenty of scars, but we were able to get away before it ruined our lives. His wife sadly passed away recently after 50 years of marriage. My wife & I will have our 42nd anniversary this June. There has been NO infidelity in either of our marriages.
The abuses inflicted upon us by our mentally ill, alcoholic mother were a crime, not the divorce. Unless you have lived it, you have no right to judge it. NO ONE can ever tell me that ending that nightmare was wrong. I forgave my mother before she died in the hope that she would die in peace, but I can never forget.
The mental illness of my ex wife has damaged to some degree all her children
To this day her demonic behavior causes pain and mayhem for all
It’s a sickness
Makes one understand why Rochester kept Bertha Antionetta locked in the attic
Sadly that was not an option for me although husband number five...I was number two....tried to kill her and was caught in a one in a billion happenstance
Unless you have lived it, you have no right to judge it.
Bullshit. That is a tactic to shut down debate.
Did your younger brother or you and your older brother ever seek out Al-Anon or any of the connected programs?
It sounds as though that was not a choice for you diseased mother.
In my case, as my husband downed a 6 pack of beer every night, I took the advantage of attending Al-Anon and took my kids to Ala-teen.
That's NOT what Msgr. Pope is talking about here. It's the remarriage that's the problem, not the "separation."
The Church says that you may leave an abusive marriage for the safety of yourself and the children. It requires that you not marry again unless you have obtained an annulment.
That is where the nullity that Msgr. Pope writes about comes into play. Clearly if your mother exhibited harmful, demonic behavior that would possibly be grounds for an annulment of the marriage. It’s a little late in this case, but (Catholic) families suffering this type of dysfunction should consult with a knowledgeable, compassionate priest about annulment.