Pope Francis came under fire for allegedly using a derogatory slur against homosexuals, according to BBC News.
The Pope’s remarks were made at the Italian Bishops’ Conference when he was asked whether gay men should now be allowed to become priests as long as they maintain celibacy. The Pontiff responded, saying they should not add that there is already too much “frociaggine,” a derogatory term that roughly translates into “f*ggotry,” BBC News reported.
JUST IN: #Vatican issues statement on #PopeFrancis’ comments to Italian Bishops at a recent closed-door meeting, that “in the Church, there is too much faggotry” & that bishops must therefore “get all the queers out of the seminaries, even those only semi-oriented”. Statement 👇: pic.twitter.com/ioSlwtMoQV
— Diane Montagna (@dianemontagna) May 28, 2024
Pope Francis’ alleged language came as a shock to many because he has often insisted that Catholics should be respectful toward members of the LGBTQ community. In 2013, when discussing the community, he said, “If they accept the Lord and have goodwill, who am I to judge them?” according to a Time Magazine report. (RELATED: Vatican Slams Sex-Change Surgeries As Threat To Human ‘Dignity’)
Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni issued a statement confirming the Pope’s comments, which were made on May 20, according to The Associated Press. “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 explained.
Pope Francis is from Argentina and does not speak Italian perfectly, which has resulted in his making similar mistakes, The Associated Press reported. He has reportedly used slang, often speaks informally and sometimes curses in private.
The Vatican’s ban on homosexuals serving as priests was affirmed in a 2005 document from the Congregation for Catholic Education and reaffirmed in 2016. It states that the church cannot allow men who “practice homosexuality” into seminaries or ordain them as priests, The Associated Press noted.
