Prior to his leaving the Catholic priesthood, Jonathan Morris provided Fox viewers with the Catholic seal of approval for right-wing policy, particularly abortion. But even though his Roman Collar is gone, he’s still pimping propaganda for the “pro-life” movement who, according to Morris, had their prayers answered when Roe v Wade was overturned!

Against a backdrop photo of *exultant anti-abortion supporters at the Supreme Court, devout, anti-abortion Christian zealot Pete Hegseth reverentially intoned that “this morning, the faithful marked the first Sunday celebrating a victory for pro-life Americans across the country.”  Hegseth, whose third marriage took place at a Trump golf club, introduced theologian and friend of the show, Jonathan Morris a former priest who “blessed”  Rupert Murdoch’s marriage to Jerry Hall. Morris was also beloved by former Fox head Roger Ailes.

In response to Hegseth’s question about his reaction to the overturn of Roe, a jubilant Morris said, “nobody could have believed this would happen except for the millions and millions of Americans who have been praying for this to happen for all these years. They believed, they persevered and because of that, today, in church, people are praying differently and thanking God.”  While admitting that this decision doesn’t mean that it’s “game over” for abortion, he asserted that people will start to have “real conversations” about abortions. He cited the need to “help mothers who are in tough situations.” (Wait what, a government safety net???)

After Hegseth said that this decision would have been “inconceivable” in past years, Morris informed us that he grew up in a family that harassed (whoops, “prayed for”) women outside abortion clinics. (Photos of “pro-life” supporters of the Roe decision continued to be shown as a backdrop) He asserted that Americans have said, for fifty years, that Roe needed “to end.” Of course, the polling which showed that a majority of Americans supported maintaining Roe wasn’t mentioned. He added that there are a lot of “prayers of gratitude” in churches and that both Catholics and Protestants across the country are “giving thanks to God.” Those watching this conversation would be left with the impression that all churches oppose Roe when, in reality, mainline Protestant denominations, such as the UCC, fully support a woman’s right to choose.

Hegseth said he just received an email from his pastor which “celebrated the moment.”

Morrison claimed that the conversation now will be informed by “new medical advances” allowing people to “watch the baby growing in the womb,” something that will be very frightening for women carrying a severely disabled child that they will be forced to bring to term – obviously not something Morris is concerned about. Demonstrating his indifference towards women, Morris asserted that “it’s different today” because the conversation is purely political and “not just about liberty or privacy.” (Huh?) He added, “it’s about what rights does the baby in the womb have.”  

Rights of the woman carrying the pregnancy  are clearly not a concern for Morris who spoke gushingly of his eight-month-old son. Given the popularity of anti-abortion “heart beat laws,” laws which ban abortion after a “heartbeat” (electromagnetic pulse at 6 weeks) is detected, Morris’ reference to having heard his son’s “heartbeat,” while in the womb, was surely not coincidental. He noted that hearing the heartbeat “changes everything.”

Hegseth thanked Morris for his role in “getting to this.” He then expressed gratitude for the "prayers of so many."

So there you have it. Fox’s Pete Hegseth and Jonathan Morris give thanks to their deity for the end of women’s right to bodily autonomy – a measure that seriously endangers the lives of women. Once again, Fox News’ proudly proclaims, in its fealty to “pro-life” propaganda, its blatantly political – and religious – agenda!

Watch Morris’ sermonette below, from the Sunday, June 26, 2022 Fox & Friends.^h.

*At no point in the presentation were photos of the far-more numerous pro-choice protests shown.