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Pope Francis apologized on Tuesday after he reportedly used a homophobic slur while reiterating his opposition to gay people becoming priests during a private discussion on the matter with bishops last week.
“There is already too much frociaggine” in seminaries, Francis has been quoted as saying, using an Italian word that roughly translates to “faggotry.”
The remark, said to have been made during a closed-door meeting last Monday, was first reported by Italian news and gossip site Dagospia and then affirmed by Italian newspapers la Repubblica and Corriere della Sera, which each cited unnamed firsthand sources.
“The Pope never intended to offend or express himself in homophobic terms, and he apologizes to those who felt offended by the use of a term, as reported by others,” said Matteo Bruni, director of the Holy See Press Office, in a statement on Tuesday.