And thus it has come to pass...

Something we all knew was coming down the pass one day was confirmed by my father when I saw him this morning. This something should have been done ten years ago, but all understand why action wasn't taken at that point.

My brother and his wife are divorcing.

It is nothing surprising; it has been a farce for nearly fifteen out of the nineteen years they have been married. The first four weren't all that great, either, but tolerable.

Dad called it from day one: when Bro brought her home to introduce her as his fiancee, they left to go dancing, and there was a long silence. Then, Dad said in a sad voice, "That b***h is going to be trouble." Mom and I pooh-poohed him... but we found out in short order that she was, indeed, trouble, a long list that would take up too much room.

One of the main reasons my brother stuck to it was the very real threat that he would lose his children. His wife has been a little psycho for years; the psychob***h insinuated that my father would molest their children at one point (this was her justification for denying my parents their grandchildren), an insinuation that caused outrage from the top down. Dad was astounded; my poor mother came to me in tears, and after telling me what had transpired, she said, "Your father is not a perfect man, but he is a gentleman, and a kind man," but this accusation was over the top. It broke her heart. "He doesn't deserve this." That was about fifteen years ago. So, the reasoning goes, if she could try and pin something so heinous on Dad, what would she try and pin on my brother if he started divorce proceedings?

It's a first in our family; while it probably should have been done years ago, and while nobody advocates divorce, we all understand and really, it's overdue. I feel sorry for the kids, but my nephew just shrugged, and my niece isn't surprised either (they're 18 and not quite 16, respectively).

And, while there's been tension between myself and my brother for years, I am sorry, so very very sorry. She's going to try to clean him out if she can--not that she needs it; she has a trust and all that. It's just spite. She wants the house, alimony, child support (my niece is almost 16, so not too much longer on that), and whatever else. Nasty grasping harpy.

"But you're Catholic," sneers the cynic from the balcony. "You can't get divorced."

The Church has never wavered on its stance that marriage is a sacrament not to be taken lightly, and not to be disposed of lightly. If in fact my brother pursued an annulment, I think he might get it with some of the incidents that have happened over the years.

I don't think my brother has taken it lightly. I think he's tried, especially for the sake of the kids, although I have to be fair and say he is not blameless. I do know they went to a counselor. I also know that things as they have been can't go on, especially with the poor kids. The kids are sad but know that things can't go on like this.

Via my dad I sense that he's taking it hard. It's been a tough year: Mama dying, his mother-in-law grievously ill, and now this. 2006 has been, in the infamous words of the Queen of England, his annus horribilus.

So I pray for my brother and for his beautiful kids... and that it gets itself done as soon as possible.