[suzyelizabeth]

After years of deep reflection, I have finally decided to follow my heart and what it has been telling me for years, which is to join the Catholic faith. My biggest concern though is my *gulp* 3 previous marriages. My first marriage was at the age of 20 which we had a child together. My second marriage was very abusive and only lasted about 10 months, during which time I suffered a miscarriage thanks to the enduring and daily abuse I suffered. My last marriage was also very brief (6 months all told) because my ex-husband was very immature and decided to leave without so much as a word to me. While I would never regret my daughter being born, I do regret the other marriages in that I settled and didn't follow my heart. When I was discussing my decision with my mother, she advised me that joining might be very costly to me and that in the end, I might not be accepted for conversion. She cited the case of a former associate of my now deceased father which would have been at least 15+ years ago, in which he wanted to marry a Catholic girl and he ended up paying over $20,000 to have the marriage annulled by the Church. Is this what I can expect? Thank you in advance!

[the_admin]

I would suggest seeking counseling with a Catholic priest in your diocese.

On this forum we are dedicated only to assisting those getting remarried and counseling regarding the details surrounding remarriage.

I applaud your decision and may God bless you during your journey.