Bishops attending this October's synod need prayers, "not gossip", Pope Francis said at today's general audience (full text, synod prayer, full video). Ivory Coast president Alassane Ouattara has appointed a Catholic archbishop as the new leader of the country's truth and reconciliation commission. John Allen argues that, in the Catholic Church today, "Africans are the new Germans". Cardinal Raymond Burke says "it's clear" last October's family synod was manipulated by those "pushing an agenda". Ali Sethi explains that the persecution of Pakistani Christians "is not just about religion". 60 Minutes meets a 28-year-old American Catholic soldier who says "it would be an honour" to die fighting ISIS. And a new Alfred Hitchcock biography argues that his Catholic upbringing is the key to his cinematic genius. Follow me on Twitter @lukecoppen for updates throughout the day.