Dolores Catania Shares Status of Boyfriend Paul’s Divorce

Credit: Instagram/Dolorescatania

The new season of The Real Housewives of New Jersey recently premiered to considerable fanfare despite the cast being so divided. One topic that arose on the show was when Dolores Catania and her boyfriend Paul Connell would be getting engaged. Now, Dolores is speaking out and providing an update on the status of his divorce. Plus, she weighs in on the discussion started by Teresa Guidice about Melissa Gorga and other Housewives meeting up before the reunion. 

Dolores and Paul made their relationship public in 2022 on Valentine’s Day, but various outlets reported their relationship at the end of 2021. However, as she has shared on the show, he has been separated for over 14 years, which means there can’t be a marriage until he puts down his baggage. Of course, fans saw Luis Ruelas question him about marrying Dolores on the RHONJ premiere. 

Now, Dolores is opening up to US Weekly about the status of Paul’s divorce from his estranged wife. 

She says, “It’s very close. It’s been moving along.”

Dolores goes on to say that she’s not passionate about getting married but would like him to be divorced. 

“Unless I wanted to really get married, I’m not pushing him to do things to force this. But in all fairness, for us to be at the relationship we are, he should not be married, and, yeah, I expect a divorce. [I don’t expect] a ring [or] marriage. If it comes great, but that has to be [after a divorce].”

Dolores also explains how the idea of everyone needing to get married is a form of societal pressure and that people should only want others to be happy and live a fulfilling life. She was previously married from 1994 until 1998. 

According to her, “Isn’t that, like, a societal thing? It’s got to stop. Why doesn’t everybody just ask, ‘What’s our next trip? What’s your next plan?’ Does it have to be marriage? Does it have to be engagement? Happiness is the goal. Peace in our lives is the goal. We’ve had that.”

She ends by saying she’ll be happy with whatever comes, and she also gives advice to young girls. 

“I’m not a young girl. If I was a young girl — and I say young girls should not be in a relationship where there’s nothing ahead of them — But, commitment and even any relationship when you’re young. I’ve had that now. I just want peace. I want companionship. I want what I have with Paulie. Whatever comes I will be happy to have, but I’m not pushing for anything.”

In other news, Dolores also confirmed that the meeting Teresa mentioned in episode one happened, but she says that it’s perfectly normal for cast members to meet up and have discussions. 

She says to US Weekly, “The meeting happened 100 percent. No one denied the meeting happened. What the denial was [regarding was what] the meeting was about.”

Dolores also explained why she was not present for the meeting.

“There were probably things said in there that they wouldn’t want somebody who was friends with everyone to hear. Hence, why I wouldn’t really be privy to that meeting.”

In case you missed it, you can catch up on RHONJ on Peacock.