I am not really sure what the connection is about praying and being patient AND filing for a D. Just because you file for a D doesn't mean you still can't pray and be patient. You will need patience with your W/exW for a very long time as the two of you will always be co-parents no matter what your legal marital status may be.
I have to agree with the other poster (Kerry I think). A priest has never been married in the sense that you and I have. Being married to the Church or God is much different as EVERYBODY follows the same "code", the support and belief system is the same and their are certain rules that are never broken. I am simply stating facts and not make judgements.
Of course nobody WANTS to be divorced and I am not one to suggest throwing in the towel at the first sign of trouble in a marriage. And I agree with you that divorce should be the absolute very last option but I am not so sure all this moral judgement has to be attached to the act of dissolving a marriage.
Sometimes, despite our best efforts a marriage simply cannot be rebuilt. If you can go to sleep each night knowing you handled the separation, the DB'ing, the detachment and the entire process in the best way possible then you are ready to D.
You simply have to be prepared NOT to consider your W's feelings, emotions or reactions at all. This D is for YOU and the betterment of YOUR life as your W has made it clear she has no desire to be part of your life as a W.
Just to open a dialogue and perhaps get you thinking in a new way, what exactly can't you take anymore? I am not asking to be snarky, I am really just wondering your thoughts.
If you are at total peace with this decision then the actual act of filing for a D (aside from talking to your children about it which should involve their C) then it actually shouldn't be that hard of a step to take.
