Pope Francis issued an apology after reports emerged suggesting he used a derogatory term for homosexuals during a private meeting with Italian bishops on May 20. 

The Details: Pope Francis, known for advocating a more welcoming approach towards the LGBTQ+ community in the Catholic Church, reportedly said, “There is already too much frociaggine” in seminaries, using a word that roughly translates to “f****try.” Francis denied intending to offend or express himself in homophobic terms. His statement came in the midst of discussions regarding potential flexibility in the Vatican's firm ban on gay priests.

For Context: Francis was raised in an Italian-speaking household in Argentina, and some “Spanish-speaking defenders of the Pope” cited by BBC News (Center bias) suggested he was not fully aware of the word’s potential for offense. 

Key Quotes: Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said, “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 reported by others.”

How the Media Covered It: Original coverage appeared to be less common in mainstream right-rated outlets, with Fox News (Right bias) seemingly not covering the story by Tuesday afternoon. Articles often differed on describing the Pope’s language. National Review (Lean Right bias) called it a “gay slur” and partly censored an English translation; BBC News only called it “extremely derogatory language” and “a highly offensive slur.” Some mainstream Lean Left outlets included the English translation uncensored, including TIME Magazine (Lean Left bias), CNN (Lean Left bias), and The Washington Post (Lean Left bias). This summary was developed with the help of AllSides' AI technology.