Well, I guess now is as good as time as any to post this. I was going to wait till Thursday or Friday, but it just too quiet here now.
My wife and I, or if you prefer, 'wife' (lol), are going to receive the Sacrament of Matrimony this weekend! She will actually be baptized, receive her first Holy Communion, and will be Confirmed on Saturday. Then Sunday we will be married in the eyes of God.
I ask humbly for anyone and everyone's prayers for my wife especially; her name is Nicolette. Please ask our Lady, Queen of the Angels, to demand that her Angel Guardian assist in her receiving and infusing of Graces from our Lord. That she can be a good Catholic, live a life according to the Will of God, and help in the raising of our children, current and future, so that they can also share in the knowledge of our good and Holy Religion.
Just a quick background since I haven't really 'put this out there' (about not being married in the Church). My wife and I met when I was in college still. We started classes with a SSPX priest, Fr. Nichols (very good and humble man) at the time. To make a long story short- I made some mistakes (obviously) when my parents rejected the notion of my dating someone who wasn't Catholic, regardless if she was going to Catechism class at the time. I think they were overly protective, in hindsight, and thought that she wasn't sincere in her conversion. I reacted in a completely shameful way, and left their house and moved out. I am not proud of this fact, and if I did it over again, would go about it completely different.
We were married by the justice of the peace. Fr. Nichols took my parents side at the time and got really mad, rightly so, when he found out we were living together. At that time I was an stupid fool and sadly rejected the Church for a few years. Eventually, we had our first daughter, Aurora, and at that time my parents and I began to mend the healing we'd been through. This was about 3 years ago. For the next year and a half or so after that, I still kept God away from my life, something I regret deeply. I made no conscious effort to return.
A close friend of mine, who is studying now at the Pontifical University in the P.I. (I keep telling him thats a mistake!) kept encouraging me to come back to church. He wouldn't visit my house, and at first I sort of took offense to that. But, in hindsight, I know he was doing the right thing. Eventually, I got back in contact with the priest who I now go to, and my wife has, Deo Gratias, been quite open to Catechism and the Faith. We've been in class for about 9 months, maybe 10 now. Its quite beautiful to see, actually, her progression. She's more interested in the faith, and asks more questions then at first. I'm sure her Baptism will do much, not to mention the Gifts of the Holy Ghost she will receive.
In the end, I would do things MUCH differently than I have, but I can not stop thanking our All Good Lord, and His Blessed Mother, for the charity they have towards me. I didn't deserve to be welcomed back in the Church, but they have made it possible. I've been sleeping on the couch for the past few months, so it will be nice to have a bed again
Please pray for us!