Pope Francis apologises over reported homophobic slur

Pope Francis issued an apology after allegations surfaced that he utilized highly disrespectful terms against homosexual men.

The Vatican made a declaration stating that the Pope did not intend to cause offense and expressed regret to those who may have been impacted by the particular term used.

As per reports from the Italian Bishops' Conference, the pope expressed that men who identify as gay shouldn't undergo training to become priests. He further mentioned the presence of an unpleasant atmosphere of discriminative behavior towards the gay community, referred to as "frociaggine," which is an extremely offensive and derogatory term.

Although the meeting was meant to be confidential, it has been extensively covered in the media.

According to the director of the Holy See, Matteo Bruni, Pope Francis is knowledgeable of the recent articles revealing a discussion he had with bishops in a private setting.

Initially, the Italian tabloid website Dagospia received news of the Pope's alleged remarks, which were then verified by other Italian media sources.

There has been a lot of surprise regarding the language that was reported. This is especially surprising given that Pope Francis has consistently advocated for treating gay people with respect in public.

According to Mr. Bruni, the Pope has expressed multiple times that there is space for all individuals within the Church. No one is irrelevant or unnecessary, everyone is welcome just as they are.

The Pope has been supported by progressive individuals who believe that although the Catholic Church has not made significant changes with regards to gay rights, the Pope has improved the Church's overall attitude towards them.

At the beginning of his papacy, he gained a lot of attention when he was asked about homosexuals and replied, "It is not for me to criticize or evaluate them."

Catholic traditionalists were upset by his recent statement about priests being allowed to bless same-sex couples under certain conditions. He has also spoken often about the Church's acceptance of gay individuals.

People who speak Spanish and support the Pope highlight that he may use Italian expressions incorrectly and imply that he may not understand how much offense he could have caused. However, it is important to note that he was raised in an Argentine household where Italian was spoken.

Mr. Buni stated that the Pope did not intend to harm or use words that may be considered as discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community. The Pope expresses his apologies to those who have been negatively affected by his words.