Warning: This article contains discussion of discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community which some readers may find distressing.
Pope Francis has been forced to apologise after he allegedly used an extremely vulgar term during a conversation about gay priests.
The 87-year-old pontiff is said to have made the offensive remark during a meeting with bishops on 20 May as they discussed the topic of admitting homosexual men into seminaries, which is where priests are trained.
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According to multiple Italian publications, he made the derogatory comment during a closed-door meeting in Rome last week as the conversation turned to gay men being admitted into Catholic seminaries.
It's something which the Italian bishops conference (CEI) is said to have been weighing up for some time, as the Vatican currently have a complete ban on gay priests.
Yet when Pope Francis was asked what he thinks, reports claim that he responded by doubling down on his stance that gay men should not be admitted, although he believes there is 'room for everyone' in the Catholic Church.
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He is said to have suggested that those with this sexual identity could risk leading a double life, before slipping in a slur.
Francis is alleged to have gone on to add that he thought there was already too much 'frociaggine' in some seminaries as it is - which is an Italian word which roughly translates to 'f****tness'.
Publications including La Repubblica, Corriere and Adnkronos listed quotes from unnamed bishops who insisted that he had used the term as a 'joke', although it was reported that those who heard it were left stunned.
One source suggested that the Pope might not have realised that the term was offensive, as Italian is not his first language.
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Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni has since issued a statement explaining that the pontiff did not intend to cause offence and that he 'never intended' to be homophobic.
"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.
The bishops were said to have been going over a recently approved document which outlines the new training methods for men attending seminarians in Italy before being ordained.
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It has not been published yet and is waiting to be reviewed, but reports claim it attempted to bring in some change surrounding the absolute ban on gay priests.
Pope Francis has been a lot more inclusive to the LGBTQ+ community than his predecessors since he was elected in 2013, even previously famously saying in response to a query about gay priests: "Who am I to judge?"
In December, the pontiff green lit a ruling which allows priests to bless unmarried and same-sex couples, which was seen as a big move for the Catholic Church.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact the LGBT Foundation on 0345 3 30 30 30, 10am–6pm Monday to Friday, or email [email protected]
Topics: World News, News, LGBTQ
Olivia Burke