Dolores Teases That Teresa, Joe, and Melissa Hit a “Breaking Point” Before Teresa’s Wedding

When it comes to the falling-out between siblings Teresa Giudice and Joe Gorga and his wife, Melissa Gorga, Dolores Catania has a few thoughts. 

Joe and Melissa were notably not in attendance when Teresa married Luis “Louie” Ruelas in August 2022. Though viewers will have to tune in to The Real Housewives of New Jersey Season 13 to find out what exactly caused the fracture between Teresa and her family members, a trailer for the upcoming season reveals that there was a disagreement about Teresa’s decision not to include Melissa in her bridal party. Elsewhere in the trailer, Teresa refers to the situation with her brother and sister-in-law as “hurtful” and also says they don’t seem “happy” in their relationship. 

Melissa, Joe, and Teresa have all commented on the tension, and now their RHONJ castmates are sharing their thoughts on the family division. 

Dolores, who has been friends with Teresa for decades and who served as one of her bridesmaids, spoke with E! News about why the RHONJ OG decided not to ask Melissa to be in her wedding party. 

“I did say this to Melissa, I just wasn’t surprised because I knew they weren’t in a good place at the time,” Dolores explained. “It wouldn’t have been organic to have her in it because they weren’t really getting along from what I had seen.”

Dolores noted that her close pal was “devastated” when Joe, Melissa, and their three kids decided not to go to the wedding, but said the relatives had hit a “breaking point” shortly before the nuptials. “I just think it was a pivotal time for everyone,” she revealed, though she said Teresa “wanted her brother and his family there.” 

The Paterson, New Jersey, native teased that fans will have to watch Season 13 unfold in order to form their own opinions about the wedding drama, but she did confirm that fans will get to know her boyfriend, Paul “Paulie” Connell, well during the season. 

“I think Paul’s so handsome,” Dolores gushed to E! News, before confirming that the two do live together.

“I dropped my guard in this relationship, which I don’t do in life, period, because Paulie said everything that I always wanted to hear,” she shared. Dolores said that Paulie made it clear from the start that he’s “looking for a future” and a long-term commitment. While the two have talked about marriage, it’s not a priority for either party at the moment. 

“Being married to someone wouldn’t define me,” she added.

Dolores is taking her relationship with the Irishman day by day, and she teased that fans will also get to meet his mom on RHONJ Season 13 when the ladies take a trip to Ireland. 

“His mom makes a cameo on the cast trip, and she is a pisser,” Dolores said about the girls’ trip to the Emerald Isle, which will be featured on Season 13. “And, you know, that was a trip where we were like a sorority, so I don’t know how things got so bad after that. I’m so upset, because as girls, we were running in and out of each other’s rooms, and we were having such a good time, and I just don’t know why would this happen.”

You can watch it all unfold when Season 13 debuts.

Watch The Real Housewives of New Jersey premiere on Bravo on February 7 at 9/8c and the next day on Peacock and the Bravo app.