The Latest: Pope praises diversity of US Catholics

Pope Francis has sent a message to U.S. Roman Catholic bishops praising the diversity of American Catholics and urging church leaders to help break down walls and build bridges.

Trump has called Mexicans criminals and rapists and vowed to deport people in the country illegally.

Francis noted that the church has welcomed waves of immigrants and has benefited from what he called the rich variety of their cultural traditions.

Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston was elected Tuesday as president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.