Jacob Rees-Mogg, the Conservative MP for North East Somerset, discusses his strong Catholic faith with Dr Gavin Ashenden in this 42nd episode of Merely Catholic, the podcast series for The Catholic Herald. They also talk about such issues as the relationship of religion to politics, the “continual trajectory for anti-Christian values” present in public life, the campaign to decriminalise abortion and the ban on prayer near to clinics, as well as cancel culture, Covid, the family and child care, and the indoctrination of small children by increasingly lurid sex education. Throughout their conversation, Mr Rees-Mogg refuses to succumb to pessimism, saying he sees signs of hope both within the Church and in wider society – and he also reveals his wishes to be made a cardinal.