Rumour (she who has more tongues than eyes) has it that a cabal of wealthy Americans (associated with a man called Bannon) is intent on securing the election of Gerhard Mueller as our next Pope.

That the St Gallen Mafia may have met their match is news which every fervent Catholic should greet with rejoicing. But not so fast! In a world of false news, nothing is certain and little is credible. Might not the current rumour be a fabrication by that same St Gallen bunch, intent on belittling Mueller’s ‘manifesto’ as a mere electoral stunt?

Who knows? Who can tell?