Pope Francis apologizes for using homophobic slur in closed-door meeting
Global News
Pope Francis apologized for reportedly using an offensive slur about gay men during a meeting with bishops in Rome.
Pope Francis has apologized for causing offence after numerous reports claimed the religious leader used a homophobic slur during a closed-door meeting about whether gay men should be permitted into seminaries.
“The Pope never intended to offend or express himself in homophobic terms, and he apologizes to those who felt offended by the use of a term, as reported by others,” read a statement from the Holy See Press Office.
Pope Francis, 87, reportedly made the comment during a May 20 meeting with 250 Italian bishops in Rome, Italy, the New York Times reported. The meeting was held to discuss a new document describing training measures for soon-to-be priests studying in Italian seminaries.
The Catholic Church has historically banned gay men from becoming priests.
Amid the discussion about gay men in Catholic seminaries, Italian media outlets claimed the Pope used an offensive slur. According to reports, the Pope said in Italian that gay men should not be permitted because there is already “frociaggine” (in English, translated to “f—tness,” using a derogatory term for a gay man) in some seminaries.
The Pope’s use of a slur was reported by the Italian outlets Dagospia, La Repubblica and Corriere della Sera, which quoted several unnamed bishops reportedly present during the meeting. One bishop told several of the papers he believed the Pope used the slur as a “joke,” while another said the pontiff may not have been aware the term is offensive, given Italian is not the Argentine Pope’s first language.
“Pope Francis is aware of the recent articles regarding a closed-door conversation with the bishops of the CEI (Italian Bishops’ Conference),” Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni said in the statement released Tuesday. “As he has stated on many occasions, ‘There is room for everyone in the Church, for everyone! No one is useless; no one is superfluous; there is room for everyone. Just as we are, everyone.'”
The Pope’s use of a homophobic slur is in contrast to his public urging that the church should welcome LGBTQ2 communities in an effort to become more inclusive.
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