The Vatican dealt a huge blow to the Bay Area's fight for gay rights on Friday, naming Salvatore Cordileone--one of the California's leading opponents of same-sex marriage and a creator of Proposition 8--the Archbishop of San Francisco.
Cordileone has served as the bishop of Oakland since 2009. In a Vatican announcement on Friday morning, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Cordileone to his new post across the Bay.
"I am pleased to welcome Archbishop-elect Cordileone," said the departing Archbishop George Niederauer during the announcement. "And to assure him of our prayers, loyalty, support and cooperation, as well as our friendship and affection."
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Cordileone will officially take his post on October 4. As Archbishop, he will oversee bishops in San Francisco, Santa Rosa, Sacramento, Reno, Oakland, Stockton, Honolulu, Las Vegas, Reno and Salt Lake City.
Cordileone made headlines in 2008 when he helped draft Proposition 8, calling same-sex marriage "a plot by the evil one" to destroy the world during a radio interview. According to ABC, he personally donated at least $6,000 to the 2008 ban, and is currently the chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Subcommittee for the Promotion and Defense of Marriage.
His appointment to the San Francisco position came as a surprise and immediately drew controversy from the gay community.
"This isn't a marriage made in heaven," said state assemblyman Tom Ammiano to the San Francisco Chronicle. Ammiano represents San Francisco and is gay.
The Huffington Post contacted Most Holy Redeemer Church, a parish in the Castro known for its inclusive community, for a statement. Father Brian Costello, the pastor at the parish, said that the church did not yet have a comment, but that he would be sharing a few words about the appointment at Sunday mass.
Watch CBS's video on Salvatore Cordileone's appointment below: