Pope Francis Apologizes for Offensive Term Used in Closed-Door Meeting with Bishops
Pope Francis has issued an apology after reportedly using a derogatory term towards the LGBT community during a private meeting with Italian bishops. The Vatican clarified on Tuesday that the pontiff did not intend to use homophobic language and apologized for any offense caused.
According to reports from Italy's largest newspapers, La Repubblica and Corriere della Sera, the pope used the term "frociaggine," a vulgar expression, while discussing seminaries being "too full" during a closed-door session on May 20. The story was initially reported by the political gossip website Dagospia and later corroborated by unnamed bishops cited by the newspapers.
Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni addressed the controversy, stating that Pope Francis was aware of the reports and emphasized his long-standing position that the Catholic Church has "room for everyone."
"The pope never intended to offend or express himself in homophobic terms, and he extends his apologies to those who were offended by the use of a term that was reported by others," Bruni said.
Pope Francis has been noted for leading the Roman Catholic Church towards a more inclusive stance on LGBT issues. In 2013, he famously stated, “If a person is gay and seeks God and has good will, who am I to judge?” Last year, he permitted priests to bless same-sex couples, despite significant conservative backlash.
However, his comments on gay seminarians have been consistent. In 2018, he advised Italian bishops to carefully vet priesthood applicants and reject any suspected homosexuals. A 2005 Vatican document, issued under Pope Benedict XVI, stated that the Church could admit men who had overcome homosexual tendencies for at least three years, but barred those with "deep-seated" gay tendencies or those who "support the so-called gay culture."
Defenders of the Spanish-speaking Pope noted that he sometimes makes mistakes with Italian colloquialisms and suggested he might not have realized the level of offense the term could cause, despite growing up in an Italian-speaking household in Argentina.
Comments