© Michael Short/APIn this photo from Friday, July 27, 2012, newly-appointed Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone speaks during a press conference held at St. Mary's Cathedral in San Francisco.
Rev. Salvatore Cordileone, who last month was named the next archbishop of San Francisco, was arrested early Saturday morning, according to police. Authorities stopped him at a checkpoint near the San Diego State University campus, the AP reported.
Cordileone, a San Diego native, posted bail after being booked into county jail on the misdemeanor DUI charge, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune. The AP reported that there was no record of him being in custody on Monday, and the San Diego city attorney's office has not gotten a report on the arrest.
Cordileone, 56, is currently the bishop in the Diocese of Oakland, Calif. Previously, Cordileone was an auxiliary bishop in San Diego, the AP reported.
He is expected to take over San Francisco's top spot when the current archbishop, 76-year-old George H. Niederauer, retires in October. Cordileone must make a court appearance on Oct. 9, the AP reported.
Michael Ritty, a private practice canon lawyer in upstate New York, told the AP that since Catholic bishops are accountable to the pope, potential discipline would have to come from the Vatican.
"If there was anything, it would be handled in Rome, most likely by the Congregation for Bishops. Depending on the question or type of criminal charge, it might go directly to the Pope or as directly as you can get," Ritty said.
Cordileone is known for being a strong, public opponent of same-sex marriage, and he is expected to govern 432,000 Catholics under his new post in San Francisco.
The Archdiocese of San Francisco office declined to comment. A voice mail left in the office at the Diocese of Oakland was not immediately returned Monday afternoon.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Comment: Oh come on! Did the Vatican get to the Bishop to administer a breathalyzer in time? Now Rome will deliberate on the rights of drinking and driving, after it did nothing about parasites doing things to children. This is truly a bizarro-world.