Pope Francis has issued an apology after using a derogatory term referring to gay men during a closed-door discussion with bishops earlier this month. The incident occurred during a meeting with Italian bishops at the Vatican, where the topic of admitting gay men to Catholic seminaries was discussed.
Matteo Bruni, director of the Vatican press office, clarified the Pope’s intentions, stating, “The Pope never intended to offend or express himself in homophobic terms, and he apologizes to those who felt offended by the use of the term.”
Reports from Italian media revealed that Pope Francis used the term “frociaggine,” a highly offensive slang word in Italian referring to gay men and gay male culture, during the meeting. Francis reportedly expressed opposition to admitting gay men to seminaries, stating there was already too much “frociaggine” in these institutions.
The controversy is part of a series of actions by the Vatican that have sent mixed signals to LGBTQ Catholics. Earlier this year, the Vatican issued a document titled Infinite Dignity, which described “sex change” and “gender theory” as grave threats. However, late last year, Pope Francis issued guidance allowing priests to bless individuals in same-sex relationships, though not the relationships themselves.
The Catholic Church maintains that homosexuality is intrinsically disordered and that sexual activity between people of the same sex is a grave sin. Despite this, Bruni reiterated on Tuesday, “As [Francis] has stated on many occasions, ‘There is room for everyone in the Church.’”
The LGBTQ Catholic group Dignity USA expressed shock and sadness over the Pope’s remarks. Marianne Duddy-Burke, executive director of Dignity USA, said, “My stomach just dropped. It was so disheartening.” While she appreciated the Pope’s apology, she emphasized that it did not erase the hurt caused by his words. Duddy-Burke pointed to a larger issue within Catholicism, noting a significant divide between the beliefs of the church’s leadership and its members.
Polling supports Duddy-Burke’s perspective. A Pew Research survey earlier this year found that a majority of Catholics believe the church should perform same-sex marriages. Another poll by the Public Religion Research Institute indicated that negative teachings about LGBTQ people are a major reason individuals leave their religion.
