The Vatican on Tuesday issued an apology after media outlets reported that Pope Francis used an anti-gay slur during a closed-door meeting with Italian bishops last week.
During the May 20 meeting, the pope used the derogatory Roman Italian term “frociaggine” to describe some seminaries, Italian newspapers reported.
His comment could be translated into English as “There’s already too much faggotry,” according to the U.K.’s Telegraph.
“The Pope never intended to offend or express himself in homophobic terms, and he extends his apologies to those who felt offended by the use of a term, as reported by others,” the Vatican said in a statement, according to CNN.
“As he [Francis] has said on several occasions, ‘in the Church there is room for everyone, everyone! No one is useless, no one is superfluous, there is room for everyone. Just as we are, everyone,’” it said.
The pontiff’s comment caused outrage, as noted by The Washington Post.
“The pope must explain himself,” said the Rev. Wolfgang Rothe of Munich, an openly gay Catholic priest.
“I am not certain he understands [the term], but I think he does, and it makes me sad,” Rothe said. “A pope should not speak in such a manner.”
The Post cited a Vatican official it did not name as confirming Francis used the phrase while speaking to 200 Italian bishops.
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“I think this constitutes a heavy blow to Francis’s prestige,” said Marco Politi, who has written books about the pope. “Because a pope is not to use those words, neither in private nor in public.
“Among both Catholics and non-Catholics who admire the pope, I have witnessed a devastating impact, whereas on the right, among those who never loved the pope, they’re quite happy with the pope using words interpreted as homophobic.
“This is quite a dramatic incident, although Francis has wisely backtracked.”
Some said the importance of the conversation was not the word but the context in which it was used.
Francis DeBernardo, director of New Ways Ministry, which advocates for LGBT Catholics, said the apology meant the pope used “a careless colloquialism” and nothing more, according to The New York Times.
However, DeBernardo said he was disappointed that the pontiff did not explain what was meant by the remark.
“Without a clarification, his words will be interpreted as a blanket ban on accepting any gay man to a seminary,” he said.
DeBernardo demanded Francis “provide a clearer statement on his views about gay priests, so many of whom faithfully serve the people of God each day.”
“C’è già troppa ‘frociaggine’”. Papa Francesco consiglia così, ai vescovi italiani, di non ammettere seminaristi gay https://t.co/Z0ZY5QiTSA
— Repubblica (@repubblica) May 27, 2024
The Post said that some on the left believed the comment was leaked as part of the battle over the role of homosexuals in the church.
The Global Network of Rainbow Catholics said it was part of an effort to sabotage the pope’s LGBT outreach efforts.
“There is definitely mischief afoot to try and undermine Pope Francis,” the group said in a statement.
