Question to Catholics, is it permisible to divorce spouse if she is an alcoholic andrefuses to stop?

First you need to try and salvage your marriage with counseling, speak with your priest and tell him exactly what’s going on and what you think needs to be done. If after adequate couples counseling and alcohol counseling your wife refuses to alter her behavior, talk with your priest again and ask about an annulment. You’ll need to review your marriage with a cannon lawyer and the annulment process can take over a year in some diocese, and an annulment is not a sure thing. Jesus was serious when He said that what God has joined may no man rent asunder… Your vows stated for better or for worse, obviously things are bad right now so work on that before you seek any sort of separation.

Go to Alanon, that is a group for family of alcoholics. They will help you understand how to deal with her and also to help her to get help.There are meeting in every city, look in your phone book under AA and they will give you the number if Alanon is not listed separately. I know many good people who are recovering alcoholics. As to the church, yes you can divorce. It is the re-marriage part that will be a problem. But most priest know ways around that especially if you were not married in the RC church.

Would marriage counseling be an option? This is a difficult situation. Alcoholism is truly a disease and the person afflicted with it needs help to stop. But you can't force the person to get help.

I'll pray for your intentions that this will work out.

I think you can get marriage counseling at your church. There's also AA, but I'm sure you already knew that and she probably doesn't want to go. As for yourself, you can go to your own meetings for families of alcoholics:

http://www.alanon.org.za/

No.

But you're asking the wrong people. You need to be asking your priest.