Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone of San Francisco has been appointed by Pope Leo XIV as a member of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, one of the highest judicial bodies in the Catholic Church.
According to LifeSiteNews, the appointment was announced by the Holy See Press Office on July 5. The Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura serves as the Church’s highest judicial authority after the Pope, overseeing important matters of canon law and the administration of justice within the Church.
Following the announcement, Archbishop Cordileone publicly expressed his gratitude for the appointment.
“I am deeply grateful to the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, for appointing me as a member of the Supreme Apostolic Signatura,” he wrote in a post on X.
Reflecting on the responsibility entrusted to him, the archbishop added, “I receive this responsibility with a profound sense of stewardship, recognizing that every office in the Church is entrusted for the service of Christ, His people, and the mission of the Gospel.”
Archbishop Cordileone also connected the appointment to the spiritual example of St. Francis of Assisi as the Church marks the 800th anniversary of the saint’s Transitus.
“As we commemorate the 800th anniversary of the Transitus of our patron, St. Francis of Assisi, I pray that his example of humble fidelity to Christ and joyful service to others will continue to shape my ministry,” he said.
He concluded by asking the faithful to pray for Pope Leo XIV, the Church, and his own ministry.
According to LifeSiteNews, Pope Leo XIV also appointed several other bishops and canon law scholars to the tribunal. Among them are Bishop Edward M. Lohse of Kalamazoo, Michigan; Bishop Krzysztof Nitkiewicz of Sandomierz, Poland; Bishop Juan Ignacio Arrieta Ochoa de Chinchetru, former Secretary of the Dicastery for Legislative Texts; Opus Dei Father Eduardo Baura de la Peña of the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross; Father Gianpaolo Montini, professor emeritus of canon law at the Pontifical Gregorian University; and Jesuit Father Ulrich Rhode, also a canon law professor at the Gregorian University.
The appointment comes just days after Archbishop Cordileone marked the 14th anniversary of his appointment as Archbishop of San Francisco by Pope Benedict XVI on July 27, 2012. According to LifeSiteNews, he has also recently spoken about the need to rebuild trust between the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) and the Vatican while advocating for easier access to the Traditional Latin Mass.
Your support brings the truth to the world.
Catholic Online News exists because of donors like you. We are 100% funded by people who believe the world deserves real, uncensored news rooted in faith and truth — not corporate agendas. Your gift ensures millions can continue to access the news they can trust — stories that defend life, faith, family, and freedom.
When truth is silenced, your support speaks louder.
