Pope Francis apologizes for alleged use of gay slur in meeting with Italian bishops

Pope Francis has issued an apology following reports that he used a gay slur during a closed-door meeting with Italian bishops last week.

A statement from the Vatican clarified that the Pope did not intend to offend anyone and expressed regret to those “hurt by the use of a word.”

The Vatican emphasized that Pope Francis never intended to express himself in homophobic terms and apologized to those who felt offended by the reported term.

During a meeting with over 250 bishops, the 87-year-old pontiff reportedly used an offensive term while discussing his opposition to openly homosexual men joining seminaries, even if they are committed to celibacy.

According to two Italian newspapers, Francis remarked that there was already too much “frociaggine” in seminaries, a derogatory Roman term for homosexuality.

The reports sparked global reactions from LGBTQ groups and practicing Catholics, with some commentators suggesting that the Argentine pope may not have fully understood the offensive nature of the term.

The Vatican’s statement did not confirm the use of the specific word but addressed the media reports. It reiterated Pope Francis’s inclusive message: “As he has stated on several occasions: ‘In the Church, there is room for everyone, everyone! Nobody is useless, nobody is superfluous, and there is space for everyone. Just as we are, all of us.”

This incident has generated widespread discussion and highlighted ongoing tensions within the Church regarding LGBTQ issues.