But you did mention her coworkers - why do you not consider them as friends for her?

They're not Catholic, and she hasn't known them for more than a few months.

My mom hardly had any friends besides her sisters, but her sisters were her best friends.

She does have female cousins her age, but there's always been a lot of rivalry between them and her. Most of them have families and children of their own, and she feels left out. Perhaps it's simply her cross, and I have to accept I can't do much about alleviating it.

Why not encourage your wife to join CathInfo, so she may access the women’s section. We have some lovely encouraging conversations and discussions for women only. No compulsion to participate but she can read and may find others here who are in a similar situation. I know they are here.

I didn't see if you mentioned that your wife is actually unhappy with this situation.  If she isn't unhappy about not having friends why should it be a concern?  I'm an introvert and haven't had a friend since the 90s.  Women are treacherous and don't make good friends anyway.  

Is the issue more that she expects you to entertain her or stay away from your friends?  Perhaps the real issue is that she has no children to look after.  Perhaps she would be happier if adoption rather than friendships were pursued.  Motherhood is more satisfying that companionship anyway.

Very good advice. Though you forgot to post your name.

She probably has a 'melancholic' temperament.  You may be 'Sanguine'.   Good balance if each knows his/her strengths and weaknesses.

This.
Some people feel suffocated unless they can go out and be among people and crowds. Some are the exact opposite.
This is one of those ways that opposites DO attract.

It's the opposite in the case of myself and my wife.  She feels the need to have friends, but I do not.  I wouldn't say that I'm anti-social ... just asocial.  And I am perfectly content being the way I am.  Some people might say that there's something wrong with me, and perhaps there is, but it doesn't really bother me.  I think that I've just developed this perspective over the years that God has everything I need in this regard, and that human beings merely disappoint me by comparison.  Now, I do have a great deal empathy and care about people, and I like to help people, but I just feel no need to socialize and to be friends with anyone in particular.  I rate "melancholic" on just about every temperament test I've ever taken.

My wife and I are both melancholic, and therefore introverts. We don't thrive on external socialization. We get enough excitement from our home life, with all our kids. Maybe it will be harder if we ever end up with a real empty nest. But then again, perhaps "empty nest" is a Baby Boomer and later phenomenon -- something that happens more often when you have less than 5 children? When you have a really large family, wouldn't some of the kids stick around in the local area, have kids of their own, etc.?

Anyhow, we've both tried many times to make friends, and for periods of time we succeeded. But something always intervenes to take them away. Either the family moves to St. Mary's, KS or another SSPX "mecca", SSPX/Resistance politics causes separation, or fallen human nature (and/or the devil) inspires the father of the family to run off with money he owes us, so our 2 families never see each other again, through no actions, choice, or fault of their own.

And there are countless "would-be" friendships that never got a chance to start, because family A is in this location, while family B is in another far-away location. Or family A is in a sedevacantist milieu, while other other family is SSPX or Resistance. So there's no contact or socialization between the two, even though those two families would really hit it off in 99% of categories. The fathers and mothers in the 2 families might share some specific interests and hobbies, and the majority of the children might be into the same things: sports, music,  art, history, literature, Lord of the Rings -- you get the idea.

I know several families that we would love to spend time with, but they live between 4 and 12 hours away. Trad Catholics are so spread out, especially the fervent, serious ones. The ones who have rejected the world -- which is important.

I think that I've just developed this perspective over the years that God has everything I need in this regard, and that human beings merely disappoint me by comparison.

This is true for me, too. Friends are temporal goods. Only God can truly fulfill.
But our charity cannot be limited to God alone:
"he that loveth not his brother whom he seeth, how can he love God whom he seeth not?" (1 John 4:20)
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