My Boyfriend Chose the Priesthood Over Me, and I Don’t Understand It

I've never written a reddit post, and I don't really know how this works.

I’m not Catholic, but my (now ex) boyfriend was. We were together for two years, and everything was fine—until suddenly, it wasn’t.

In December, when he was supposed to be picking out law schools, he randomly brought up the idea of becoming a priest. I wrote it off as him being nervous about picking out law school.

From the end of December until the week before Valentine's Day he talked about law school as if he was 100% going to go until he mentioned attending a "Come and See" weekend with some friars in St Louis. I didn’t think he was actually serious about the priest thing. But after that, everything started going downhill.

This past Sunday night, he texted me and ended things. Just like that. I was mad, obviously. His reasoning? He thought I wouldn’t want him to see me cry—except I’ve cried in front of him plenty of times before.

What I don’t understand is why someone would willingly give up having a family for this. I don’t agree with it. I don’t think he considered me or what this would do to me at all. After two years together, it feels like such a betrayal. Like I was never really part of the equation.

And yet, part of me feels like maybe this is my fault in some way. Like maybe if I had been different—not protestant, more something—this wouldn’t have happened. (Btw--me being protestant was NEVER a problem in our relationship. We talked about marriage and having kids. He didn't have a problem with it). I also can’t shake the fear that he’ll go, change his mind, and then end up with someone else. But at the same time, I really do think he’ll go through with it all the way. He’s the kind of person who, once he commits to something, sees it through.

I’m angry. I feel discarded. But at the same time… I miss him. I miss talking to him. I don’t know how to process this.

For those of you who have chosen this path—or have been in my position—how do you make peace with it? Because right now, I can’t.