Pope Francis accused of making homophobic slur in meeting with bishops in Rome
The head of the Catholic Church reportedly used the highly offensive term "frociaggine"
Pope Francis allegedly used a homophobic slur in a recent closed-door meeting with bishops in Rome.
According to Italian media, the Pope made the comment on 20 May during the Italian Bishops Conference assembly.
The head of the Catholic Church also reportedly said that gay men should not be allowed to train as priests before using the highly offensive term, as per reports that emerged yesterday (Monday 27 May 2024).
“Frociaggine”
According to La Repubblica and Corriere della Sera, two of Italy’s largest circulation daily newspapers, the 87-year-old said priesthood collages are too full of “frociaggine.”
The highly offensive slur roughly translates to “faggotness.”
La Repubblica cited anonymous courses in its report; Corriere della Sera cited unnamed bishops who suggested the pontiff, from Argentina, was not aware that the term was offensive.
The Vatican is yet to respond to the news.
The Pope has previously publicly stated that Italian bishops should carefully vet priesthood applicants for suspected homosexuality.
“The issue of homosexuality is a very serious issue that must be adequately discerned from the beginning with the candidates,” he said in 2018.
“If a person is gay and seeks God and has good will, who am I to judge?” – The Pope
The news comes after The Pope defended last December’s historic Vatican ruling allowing blessings for same-sex couples.
Speaking in January 2024 via video link to the Che Tempo Che Fa programme on Italy’s Channel 9, Pope Francis said: “Sometimes decisions are not accepted, but in most cases when decisions are not accepted, it is because they are not understood. The danger is that if I don’t like something and I put it in my heart, I become a resistance and jump to ugly conclusions. … This is what happened with these latest decisions on blessings for all.”
In 2013, he famously said: “If a person is gay and seeks God and has good will, who am I to judge?”
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