I’d just arrived at an “agriturismo”, a farm for tourists, on the outskirts of Rome. It was meant to be a relaxing Saturday family excursion after my children’s first week back at school. But as my wife and I admired the olive groves and Joseph and Martha jumped over hay bales I heard my phone ping. It was an email from the Holy See press office with the customary midday bulletin, and there was no way of ignoring it.