"Hostility towards Catholicism is nothing new in Britain. Indeed, it is nothing now compared to what it was in the Elizabethan era," during which it was illegal – and often fatal – to be Catholic, Coppen noted.
Rather than being frightened by the friction that faith and politics sometimes bring, faithful Catholics should continue to serve in the public sphere, Coppen said.
"They are an example to us: we should always seek to serve the wider society because our faith obliges us to," he said.
Some have even compared Rees-Mogg's witness to that of St. Thomas More, who opposed King Henry VIII's remarriage after failing to secure a decree of nullity, and his ploy to break from Rome and become the leader of the Church of England. His faithfulness to the Church cost him his life, and St. Thomas More is often invoked as a patron saint of religious freedom.
"In this week's magazine we have a headline describing Rees-Mogg as 'the Thomas More of breakfast television,'" Coppen said.
"That's tongue in cheek, of course, because he was very brave. But he's unlikely to be executed," he noted, though Catholics in public life "may no longer receive invitations to certain dinner parties."
Bishop Mark Davies of Shrewsbury also praised Rees-Mogg's remarks, and also encouraged Catholics to continue to be active, faithful participants in the public sphere.
"...beyond the immediate furore I am sure public figures like Jacob Rees-Mogg will ultimately be respected for their courage and integrity," he told CNA.
"I am sure we need to see greater Christian witness in political life rather than a withdrawal of faithful Catholics from the public square and from the public debates of our time. The challenge faced by Christians today allows us to see more clearly why Saint Thomas More was made a patron saint for statesmen."
Mary Farrow worked as a staff writer for Catholic News Agency until 2020. She has a degree in journalism and English education from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.