Can my lapsed Catholic friend receive communion?

[one_truth_1]

I think my best friend only goes to mass for Easter and Christmas. He recently got married in a civil ceremony. My friend is a baptized, confirmed Catholic. His wife is a Protestant, and I believe she’s baptized. Can my friend go to reconciliation and then receive the Eucharist, or does he have to get his marriage blessed in the Church first? Is he living in a state of sin because his marriage is outside the Church?

 

[Fr.Charles_Grondin]

Every Catholic is bound by canon law to follow canonical form when getting married. Unless he received permission from his bishop to be married in a civil ceremony (almost 0% chance) then his marriage is invalid. He needs to have a validation of his marriage in the Church.
He cannot simply go to confession because even after confession his state of being married outside the Church will still be present. He needs to have a valid marriage before he can receive communion.