If you’ve followed the news cycle surrounding the former "Father" Jonathan Morris, you know his story reads like a Hollywood script. A high-profile Catholic priest, a regular on Fox News, a guy who seemingly had the clerical life figured out, suddenly steps away. He wants a family. He wants a different path.
Then comes the wedding.
When he married Kaitlyn Folmer in 2020, the internet had questions. Lots of them. Most of those questions centered on one specific thing: is Jonathan Morris wife catholic? People assumed she must be, given that they tied the knot at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. But faith and identity are rarely that simple, especially when you're talking about a man who spent decades as a representative of the Vatican.
The Short Answer (That Needs More Context)
Yes, Kaitlyn Folmer is Catholic.
But saying "she's Catholic" and moving on doesn't really tell the whole story of their relationship or how they ended up standing at an altar in Midtown Manhattan. Kaitlyn wasn't just some random person he met at a church social. She’s a heavy-hitter in her own right—an investigative producer for ABC News.
Their worlds collided in a professional capacity first. Honestly, it's kinda fascinating when you think about it. You have a priest who is a media personality and a journalist who covers high-stakes news. It wasn't exactly a rom-com "meet cute" in a grocery store aisle. It was a connection built on shared values and, eventually, a shared faith that allowed them to marry within the Church.
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Why the Wedding Location Matters
The fact that they married at St. Patrick's Cathedral is a massive deal.
In the Catholic world, you don't just walk into a cathedral and book a Saturday afternoon because you like the architecture. It's a process. For Jonathan Morris, that process was grueling. He didn't just "quit" being a priest like someone quitting a desk job. He had to go through laicization.
"I have not lost my faith in God or the Church. On the contrary, I believe and love them more than ever," Morris said when he first announced his departure from the ministry.
This is where the distinction between "leaving" and "being dispensed" comes in. Pope Francis himself had to grant Morris a dispensation from the clerical state. Without that piece of paper, a Catholic wedding would have been impossible.
The couple was married by Cardinal Timothy Dolan. Think about that for a second. If there was any doubt about the validity of their union or Kaitlyn's standing in the church, the Archbishop of New York wouldn't have been the one officiating.
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Who Exactly is Kaitlyn Folmer?
Kaitlyn isn't just "the wife." She has a career that stands entirely on its own.
- Role: Investigative Producer at ABC News.
- Education: Graduate of New York University (NYU).
- Background: Originally from Lebanon, Pennsylvania.
- Faith: Deeply rooted Catholic upbringing.
She’s known for being incredibly private. While Jonathan is comfortable in front of the camera—it’s basically his second home—Kaitlyn tends to stay behind the scenes. However, she has spoken openly in rare interviews, like on The Megyn Kelly Show, about how their relationship developed.
She mentioned that her faith was a cornerstone of her life long before she met Jonathan. This wasn't a case of someone converting to satisfy a partner. She was already there.
Navigating the "Ex-Priest" Stigma
Let’s be real: people can be judgmental.
When a priest leaves to get married, there’s often a segment of the "old guard" that views it as a betrayal. For Kaitlyn, entering a relationship with a man who was once a public face of the priesthood couldn't have been easy. You’re not just marrying a guy; you’re marrying a guy whose former life is documented in thousands of hours of cable news footage.
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They’ve been very transparent about the fact that they didn't start dating until after he had already begun the process of leaving the priesthood. That’s a key detail. It keeps the "scandal" hunters at bay.
Life After the Priesthood
Since the wedding, the couple has moved into a more "normal" life, or as normal as it gets when you're still a contributor for major news networks. Jonathan co-founded an executive coaching firm. They’ve started a family.
Basically, they are living out the exact "family life" that Jonathan said he craved when he petitioned the Pope.
Kaitlyn’s Catholic faith has clearly been the "glue" in this transition. It’s one thing to leave a career; it’s another to leave a vocation. Having a partner who understands the liturgical world, the theological nuances, and the social pressures of the Catholic Church made that transition possible for him.
What You Should Know If You're Following Their Story
If you're looking into this because you're interested in the intersection of faith and modern life, there are a few takeaways.
- Church Law is Strict: You can't just get married in St. Patrick's if you aren't in good standing. The ceremony itself proves their status.
- It’s Not a Scandal: While it was a shock to many, the process was done "by the book" through the Vatican.
- Kaitlyn is Her Own Person: Her career at ABC News remains her primary public identity, separate from her husband's former life as a cleric.
The story of Jonathan Morris and his wife is less about a "fall from grace" and more about a pivot toward a different kind of service. They remain active in their faith, just from the pews instead of the pulpit.
Next Steps for Deeper Insight
If you're interested in how the Church handles these types of transitions, you might want to look into the Code of Canon Law regarding "Loss of the Clerical State." It explains the legal hurdles Morris had to jump through to ensure his marriage to Kaitlyn was recognized. You can also listen to the full 2020 interview on The Megyn Kelly Show where the couple goes into detail about their first meeting and the emotional weight of their decision.