SAN DIEGO, CA (Catholic Online) - Cordileone, 56, was arrested after failing a field sobriety test. Cordileone has issued a public apology. "I will repay my debt to society, and I ask forgiveness from my family and my friends and co-workers at the Diocese of Oakland and the Archdiocese of San Francisco. I pray that God, in His inscrutable wisdom, will bring some good out of this."

Until he is seated in October, Cordileone remains the Bishop of the Diocese of Oakland. The archbishop-elect will face a single misdemeanor charge of DUI. It is unknown if the Vatican will impose its own sanctions, but the matter will be handled in Rome by the Congregation for Bishops. While the Holy Father himself could become involved, this is somewhat unlikely. 

This is not the only incident in which a member of the Catholic clergy has crossed the law, however the truth of Church teaching is transcendent and is not subject to the occasional mistakes and sins of church officials and members. 

While Cordileone must repay his debt to society incurred for committing a misdemeanor, there is also a good chance that he and those around him will be better for the result with a lesson learned. The Archbishop has made a sincere apology and forgiveness is available to all, including the bishops. 

This matters because Cordileone has important work to do. Cordileone is known to be a supporter of true marriage and was a strong proponent of Proposition 8, California's popular legislation that defined marriage as a union between one man and a woman. He is expected to continue this fight from ground zero of the same-sex marriage fight in San Francisco. 

Cordileone will have other work to do besides his efforts in San Francisco. The Archdiocese governs almost half-a-million parish-registered Catholics in a swath of territory ranging from Hawaii to Utah.

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