Pope Francis has allegedly used a highly disparaging word against gay individuals, a term for which he had previously apologized, as reported by ANSA news agency on Tuesday.
Italian media attributed the use of the term “frociaggine,” a vulgar Italian word roughly translating to “faggotness,” to the pope during a closed-door meeting with Italian bishops on May 20.
According to ANSA, Pope Francis repeated the term on Tuesday during a meeting with Roman priests, stating that “there is an air of faggotness in the Vatican.” He suggested that it would be better for young men with homosexual tendencies not to enter the seminary.
The Vatican’s press office, when asked about the report, referred to a statement issued regarding Tuesday’s meeting with priests. In that statement, the pope reiterated the importance of welcoming gay individuals into the Church while expressing caution about their admission to the seminary.
Following the initial report of his use of the term, Corriere della Sera newspaper quoted unnamed bishops present in the room, suggesting that the pope, as an Argentine, might not have realized that the Italian term he used was offensive.
Despite previously being credited with making strides towards the LGBT community during his papacy, Francis’ recent alleged missteps have led some Vatican observers to question his authority and the direction of reform within the Church.
