The U.S. bishops Nov. 17 elected Msgr. J. Brian Bransfield as the new general secretary of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Bishop McElroy questioned the lack of attention to the areas of concern that Pope Francis has made the keystones of his pontificate.

Chicago Archbishop Blase Cupich asked why the conference’s long-standing support of comprehensive immigration reform was not specifically mentioned in the 2017-20 strategic plan. He also mentioned that the emphasis by Pope Francis on a global abolition of the death penalty, also long supported by the conference, likewise was lacking as a specific priority.

The U.S. bishops will vote tomorrow on whether or not to approve new additions to its quadrennial “Faithful Citizenship’ statement, refreshed this year to take into consideration some contemporary concerns and some of the new issues that Pope Francis has been bringing to the attention of the global church.

“We understand that there is going to be some concern and vetting” of refugees seeking protection and resettlement in the United States to make sure they have the “proper intent,” but “we are going to be ready to receive them.”

When a Lutheran woman married to a Catholic man asked Pope Francis what she and her husband could do to receive Communion together, the pope said he could not issue a general rule on shared Communion, but the couple should pray, study and then act according to their consciences.