I completely understand about being Catholic and feeling you had to stick with it. That's what I did for the last 10 or 15 years of our 33 year marriage. I hung on because I was/am Catholic.

Even before he comitted the final betrayal I went to a lawyer to see about a legal separation. This was a Catholic lawyer who will not take on divorce cases. He told me that legally a separation was really rather worthless and didn't give me any protection. Two years later I had to go to a different lawyer to get a divorce after the abuse and betrayal escalated.

Thank you, everyone for all of your support. My heart goes out to everyone who is dealing with the dream of a happy marriage being shattered. People who are friends of both my husband and myself are starting to come forward telling me they knew of his temper and that they never really liked him in the first place. I don't know if this makes me feel better or not. I guess it comes to show that people don't like to stick their noses in other people's business....but this is one time I wish they had. I might have gotten out of this marriage a long time ago had I known I would have had the support. Lesson learned. I can't look back, I can only move forward. God bless!!