蜜芽传媒

Yesterday was one of the great days in the European calendar 鈥� May Day, once associated with folk traditions marking the start of summer, now a bank holiday in the European Union celebrating workers鈥� rights. Once it was always linked to the Virgin Mary but 70 years ago the Catholic Church announced May 1 as the feast of St Joseph the Worker.

You might say that in creating this new feast it recognised the signs of the time: the then Pope, Pius XII, did so in the aftermath of the Second World War, knowing that the world had changed and the Church must change with it. He wanted to make it clear that the Church stood alongside ordinary people and that it recognised the worth and dignity of work. What better way then, than to make May 1 the feast day of St Joseph the Worker, husband of Mary, foster father of Jesus and a carpenter who toiled at his workbench all day?

This week and into next, before cardinals begin on Wednesday the secret voting in the conclave to elect the next pope, they will hold many talks together 鈥� and their focus will be reading the signs of the times. They will discuss the age in which we live, discern how the Church should respond and therefore who should lead it.

For some the signs of the times may reveal that the most important issue is speaking up for those enduring poverty and injustice. Others will argue that people across the globe feel that it is so troubled that they are looking for reassurance and stability, so this is what the Church needs to offer.

But a key question facing the cardinals will be one which has perhaps always beset the Church 鈥� but certainly did in the 12 years of the pontificate of Pope Francis. Should the Church change to walk alongside people where they are now or should its focus be standing for truth, for the eternal verities?

For some this tension can be resolved by your approach. One cardinal participating in the conclave is Cardinal Mario Grech, of Malta, who has said priests used to tell people to put their lives in order before thinking about Christ. Now, said Grech, you approach Christ first.

At the funeral of Pope Francis, there was a Gospel reading where Jesus told his apostle Peter, who Catholics believe was the first pope, to 鈥渇eed my lambs鈥�. The cardinals will be looking for the one they think can shepherd the flock. The destination may stay the same 鈥� getting closer to God 鈥� but how do you get there 鈥� the cardinals may well ask that of the new shepherd.

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