Given its discussion of the HHS mandate, Fox News appears to be the mouthpiece for the US Council of Catholic Bishops, of which Fox pal, the conservative NY Archbishop Timothy Dolan, is the head, Fox News has been very dutiful in articulating, through many of its hosts and guests, the talking points of the Catholic Church. Not surprisingly, the one true clergy person from the one true Fox church, Fr. Jonathan Morris, is continues to use his Fox Sunday pulpit to preach the bishops' talking points. He also articulated the same points on Hannity's show which was a venue for right wing males, some of them clergy, to express their anger at the Obama administration over this issue. Despite the approval of the Catholic Hospital Association's Sister Carol Keehan, who said that the HHS "accommodation" is "sensible and solid," the bishops ain't happy and when the bishops ain't happy, neither is Fox. But gloria in excelsis dei, Fr. Jonathan Morris is there to sort it all out for us.

Yesterday on Fox & Friends, after showing video of Obama's Friday statement, Alysin Camerota reported that Catholic bishops rejected Obama's attempt to mollify those who are concerned about religious liberty. Roger Ailes' personal house priest immediately echoed the official GOP line that this is "an accounting trick." In describing the coverage, Morris reiterated the Fox "fact" that emergency contraception is abortion inducing which is a "fact" only in Catholic dogma and not accepted by the medical or other faith communities. Morris ranted about how this is an imposition on health insurers. While Sister Carol Keehan was not mentioned, Clayton Morris did mention that some of Catholics. who originally opposed the mandate, have moderated their stance. Fr. Morris wanted to know "who is paying for it."  

Fr. Morris said that he and other NY priests would be reading, to their congregation, Archbishop Dolan's letter about "the fight for religious liberty and freedom, keeping the government from intruding in religious affairs" which is ironic in that the Catholic Church ,through the legislative process, seeks to impose its views about abortion and same sex marriage on all Americans. In fact, the Catholic bishops are teaming up with Republicans to create legislation that would create an opt-out of the contraceptive mandate for any employer who feels that birth control is against their religion.

Once again, no mention was made that, in 26 states, Catholic institutions are already following a law that is identical to the original policy put forth by HSS. No mention was made of Sister Carol Keehan's agreement with the compromise. And heaven forbid that Morris or the hosts mention that some insurers are saying that the cost of the birth control is far less than that of pregnancy and that, as such, the policy is cost effective.

If Roger Ailes is Fox's "version of God," then Morris is the handmaiden of the lord.