The Vatican said Tuesday that Pope Francis “apologizes” after reports that he used an offensive slang word referring to gay men during what was intended to be a private meeting with 250 Italian bishops last week.
Francis had been answering questions from Italian bishops gathered for their annual meeting on a number of issues when the question arose whether or not openly gay men should be admitted to seminaries or priesthood colleges.
According to several attendees at the meeting, who spoke anonymously to Italian media, Francis gave a firm no, saying the seminaries were already overcrowded with “frociaggine,” an insulting term referring to gay men.
“Pope Francis is aware of articles that have recently appeared about a conversation behind closed doors,” Matteo Bruni, director of the Holy See press office, said in response to questions from reporters. “It was never the Pope's intention to offend himself or express himself in homophobic terms, and he apologizes to those who were offended by the use of a term reported by others.”
Francis is widely credited with pushing the church to take a more welcoming approach to the LGBTQ community, and he has delivered a largely inclusive message.
Early in his papacy he said, “If someone is homosexual and seeks God and has good will, who am I to judge?” He also often met with gay rights activists and last year made a decision to allow priests to do so blessing same-sex couples.
The opening to the LGBTQ community was met with a backlash. For example, the decision to bless same-sex unions has been widely criticized by bishops in conservative parts of the church, such as Africa, because they believe the practice contradicts church doctrine.
The Vatican quickly explained that blessings are not formal rituals and do not undermine church teaching against same-sex marriage.
At the same time, the church has remained steadfast in its decision not to allow openly gay men to become priests.
A document published in 2005 Under Pope Benedict support gay culture'. ''
The document ordination allowed only for candidates who experienced “transient” homosexual tendencies that were “clearly overcome” at least three years before ordination as a deacon, the last step before the priesthood.
In a 2018 book interview On vocations, Francis underlined his concern about relationships between gay priest candidates and other religious figures who take vows of celibacy and chastity and end up leading double lives.
“There is no place for this kind of affection in the consecrated life or that of the priesthood,” the pope said in the book. “For this reason, the Church recommends that persons with this deep-seated tendency should not be accepted into ministry or consecrated life.”
Francis had already expressed his concerns to the Italian bishops. During another closed-door session in 2018, Italian media report thisFrancis said men with “deep-seated” homosexual tendencies should not be admitted to seminaries.
“If in doubt, do not let them enter,” the pope told the bishops.
That comment had requested response At the time, some observers warned that Francis' characterization of LGBTQ people “could further the toxic homophobic attitudes already so prevalent in seminaries and religious communities, as well as in the broader church.”