In a closed-door meeting with Italian bishops, Pope Francis reportedly used a highly derogatory term to refer to the LGBT community while reiterating his stance that gay individuals should not be admitted to the priesthood. This report was published by major Italian newspapers, La Repubblica and Corriere della Sera, on Monday.
According to these sources, Pope Francis stated that seminaries, or priesthood colleges, are already too full of “frociaggine,” a vulgar Italian term roughly translating to “faggotness.” The Vatican has not responded to requests for comment on the matter.
La Repubblica cited several unspecified sources for its report, while Corriere della Sera claimed its information was corroborated by a few unnamed bishops. These bishops suggested that the Pope, being Argentine, might not have realized the offensive nature of the Italian term he used.
Political gossip website Dagospia first reported the alleged incident, which supposedly took place on May 20 during the opening of the Italian Bishops Conference’s four-day assembly in a private meeting with the pontiff.
Pope Francis, aged 87, has been recognized for leading the Roman Catholic Church towards a more inclusive approach to the LGBT community. In 2013, early in his papacy, he famously remarked, “If a person is gay and seeks God and has good will, who am I to judge?” Additionally, last year he permitted priests to bless members of same-sex couples, despite facing substantial conservative backlash.
However, this is not the first time Pope Francis has delivered a similar message regarding gay seminarians. In 2018, he met with Italian bishops and advised them to carefully vet priesthood applicants and reject any suspected homosexuals, although without using derogatory language.
In 2005, under the papacy of his predecessor, Benedict XVI, the Vatican released a document stating that the Church could admit individuals to the priesthood who had clearly overcome homosexual tendencies for at least three years. The document also stipulated that practising homosexuals, those with “deep-seated” gay tendencies, and those who “support the so-called gay culture” should be barred from the priesthood.
