Benedict XVI devoted his general audience today to St Gertrude the Great (video). Fr Samir Khalil Samir identifies the priorities of the Synod of Bishops for the Middle East. Rocco Palmo forecasts that within just seven years of his election Benedict XVI will have chosen almost two thirds of the world's cardinals - just shy of the number needed to elect the next pope. George Weigel explains why Cardinal Newman was ahead of his time. Stephen Prothero suggests that American atheists aren't as clever as a recent survey made them seem. And a group of German Catholics are campaigning for a Santa-free Christmas.