Of course, in an ideal world, it would be lovely if the Cardinal could reclaim Piero della Francesca’s Baptism for his faith and display it in Westminster Cathedral. It is a profoundly religious picture. In fact, why not clear out half the pictures from the National Gallery’s Sainsbury Wing and distribute them through the churches of Britain instead? After all, most of these images would have been plundered – even violently prised – from Roman Catholic buildings in the first place.

For most of the art of the early Renaissance was religious in mood. But of course, this is all a mad dream – not least because our British clerics are not as rich as Medici popes. Surely the Church has more important priorities than paying for the sort of security systems and climate control mechanisms that an artwork of this enormous historical calibre would need if it were not to mildew and crumble, end up the subject of a ransom demand or be attacked by some attention-grabber.

Besides, if the Archbishop thinks that just because a picture is in a church, people will recognise its specific religious import, then he clearly has not been to St Peter’s in recent years. The Angelus bell rings. Do the crowd bend their heads in respectful silence? No. The cameras keep whirring, the jaws go on champing gum. In fact, the possession of a great artwork is more likely to lead to the desecration of a sacred space.

To hand over Baptism would set a ridiculous precedent. How long before our aristocrats, for instance, start to claim that the gallery’s great portraits would find a more fitting milieu in their stately homes?

Baptism has a wonderful numinous quality and a profound religious resonance. The faithful should count themselves extremely lucky that they can visit it freely any day that they like. And besides, is the Sainsbury Wing really so unconducive to reflection? It always seems to me a tranquil place. In fact, I often pop in when passing just to contemplate a painting. And when I return to the street I feel spiritually renewed.

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