Pope Francis used a homophobic expression during a discussion with bishops about admitting homosexual men to seminaries, Italian media reported.
Newspapers La Repubblica and Corriere della Sera reported on Monday that the 87-year-old pope made the homophobic remark in a private meeting a week ago when asked if gay men could study for the priesthood on the condition that they remain celibate.
Pope Francis replied they should not, and joked that there were “already too many “frociaggine” in some seminaries. The term roughly translates from English as f****.
Corriere della Sera reported that some of those present felt that the Pope, whose native language is Spanish, did not realise how offensive the word was. Political gossip website Dagospia was the first to report the alleged incident, which occurred on May 20 as the Italian Bishops’ Conference was opening its four-day assembly.
The Vatican has not commented in any way on the alleged remarks.
Since becoming pope in 2013, Francis has insisted that the Catholic Church must be open to all, including the LGBTQ community. Last year he criticised laws criminalising homosexuality and later said priests could conduct blessings for same-sex couples under certain conditions.
Some 67 countries or jurisdictions around the world criminalise consensual same-sex sexual activity, 11 of which may or do have the death penalty, according to The Human Dignity Trust, which is working to end such laws. Experts say that even where laws are not enforced, they contribute to persecution, stigmatisation and violence against LGBTQ people.Official Catholic Church doctrine still maintains that same-sex acts are “inherently evil.”
