Advice about son intending to marry non-Catholic?

[Mom_Seeks_help]

My son is intending to marry a girl in Georgia. She is currently in the military and will soon be out…He too is a Marine and is now on recruiting duty in Georgia…She has a child from another Marine…has been dating my son since her child was 4 months and they are now engaged…it’s a long story…anyway my question to you is…if she does not want to be married in the church…can a catholic chaplin marry them in a wedding hall even if she is lukewarm about her religion…she is not confirmed…her father is a craddle catholic and her mother is now attending a Baptist church…my son says he has not seen her attend any church since he has dated her…I don’t even know if her son is baptized…I have been in agony about the WHOLE sitiuation since he told me he was dating her…and her son. She wants to get married in February of 2008. I am frantically searching for answers…I raised my children in the fullness of the faith and don’t want my son to be out of communion with the church…HELP!!!

 

[Reginald_Plum]

Mom,

These links should walk you and your son through the options he and his fiancée have. Since it is not clear from your question if your son’s fiancée is a baptized and lapsed Catholic or if she is a non-Catholic, I’ve included the bottom set of links to help you determine which marital law she will be held to. If you have any further questions or concerns that are not answered by these links, please contact Catholic Answers directly.

Recommended Reading:
What is the dispensation process to marry outside the church?
Can a Catholic be married by a non-denominational minister?
Can we have a Catholic wedding without Mass?

What are the rules for attending weddings?
Why doesn’t the Church forbid Catholic attendance at invalid marriages?

Is confirmation required for a Catholic marriage?
Am I a non-Catholic if I haven’t completed the sacraments?
Am I a Catholic or what?