Pope Leo XIV has appointed Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco to serve on the Vatican's Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, one of the Catholic Church's highest judicial bodies. Cordileone gained national attention in 2022 when he barred then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi from receiving Communion in his archdiocese over her support for abortion rights, a stance that made him a prominent figure in debates over the intersection of Catholic doctrine and Democratic politicians' public positions.

The Apostolic Signatura functions as the Vatican's supreme court, handling appeals and disputes within canon law, making the appointment a significant elevation of Cordileone's standing within the Church hierarchy. The move comes under Pope Leo XIV, the first American-born pontiff, and follows Cordileone's long-standing reputation as one of the more conservative voices among US bishops on matters of Church doctrine and its application to public figures.