A Bay Area archbishop recently took to social media to publicly criticize Elon Musk for his personal relationships, especially regarding his 13 children from four different women.
Salvatore Cordileone, the Archbishop of San Francisco, stirred up some attention when he offered unsolicited relationship advice to the billionaire CEO.
Advice from the Archbishop
Cordileone’s remarks went viral after Musk, who is 53, shared that his greatest joy in life comes from his children.
The archbishop responded with a comment on X (formerly Twitter) that read: “This is lovely. But marry first and love your babies’ mom too.”
His suggestion was a direct comment on Musk’s nontraditional family structure, as Musk has only been married to one of the mothers of his children—his first wife, Justine Musk. The couple shares five children.
Musk also has three children with Canadian singer Grimes and three with Neuralink executive Shivon Zilis.
The Controversy Grows
Cordileone’s remarks resurfaced after right-wing influencer Ashley St. Clair claimed to have had a child with Musk last year.
While Musk has neither confirmed nor denied this claim, his one-word response on X—“Whoa”—has only fueled the speculation.
One of Musk’s supporters defended him by saying that Musk’s role in society is much greater than the average person’s, arguing that Musk’s focus on “helping humanity” should be considered in any judgment about his personal life.
However, Cordileone was quick to assert that Musk’s mission does not lessen the expectations others may have of him when it comes to marriage and relationships.
“We can thank him for his public service and still remind ourselves that marriage matters,” the archbishop wrote.
St. Clair’s Revelation and Public Backlash
On Valentine’s Day, St. Clair made a shocking announcement, revealing that she had Musk’s child.
She claimed that she was forced to go public with the information after Musk allegedly “ghosted” her on the romantic holiday.
The influencer posted on X, accusing Musk of ignoring her attempts to reach out in the days prior.
Meanwhile, Musk was seen publicly with Shivon Zilis, the mother of three of his children, at a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
This added fuel to the fire, as St. Clair’s accusations went viral.
Cordileone’s Own Controversial History
Cordileone, the highest-ranking Catholic figure in the Bay Area, is known for his strong conservative stances on issues like same-sex marriage and abortion, aligning with the teachings of the Catholic Church.
He made headlines in 2022 when he barred former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi from receiving communion due to her pro-choice stance.
However, Cordileone himself has faced significant controversy throughout his career.
In 2012, he was arrested for drunk driving just after being appointed archbishop, and he later joked about the incident.
More recently, in 2021, he faced backlash for refusing to release a list of clergy members accused of child sexual abuse, even though they were considered “credibly” accused.
He also joined other California bishops in attempting to get a 2019 law thrown out, which allowed victims of clergy sexual abuse to file lawsuits—even if the abuse had occurred decades ago.
While Cordileone has strong views about personal morality, his own history has sparked a great deal of criticism.