The Vatican has apologized for words uttered by Pope Francis that have been deemed offensive by some.
The pope reportedly said in a closed-door meeting with Italian bishops that gay individuals should not be able to become priests. According to Italian publications La Repubblica and Corriere della Sera,he then said that seminaries, or priesthood colleges, are already too full of "frociaggine." The term roughly translates to "fa*ggotness."
"The Pope never intended to offend or express himself in hom*ophobic terms, and he apologizes to those who felt offended by the use of a term, as reported by others," Matteo Bruni, director of the Holy See Press Office, said in a statement on Tuesday.
Newsweek reached out to the Vatican via email for further comment.
Bruni added that the pope is "aware" of the various media reports about his remarks made behind closed doors to bishops of the CEI [Italian Bishops' Conference].
"As [the pope] has stated on many occasions, 'There is room for everyone in the Church, for everyone! No one is useless; no one is superfluous; there is room for everyone. Just as we are, everyone.'" Bruni said.
Some bishops present at the CEI were unaware of how offensive the word could be to some, Corriere della Sera reported.
The conference reportedly involved the approval of a new training document for Italian seminarians that addressed "wiggle room" in the Vatican's ban on gay priests, according to The Associated Press. The Holy See is still reviewing the document.
In both 2005 and 2016, as addressed in a document from the Congregation for Catholic Education, the Vatican said it could not ordain men and admit them to seminaries if they "practice hom*osexuality, present deep-seated hom*osexual tendencies or support the so-called gay culture."
Pope Francis, 87, who began his papacy in March 2013 after succeeding Pope Benedict XVI, has been viewed as arguably the most progressive Vatican leader in the church's history.
That has included kinder views toward the LGBTQ+ community, in which he has stated that being gay is not a sin. Pope Francis has not shied away from acknowledging the increasingly "reactionary" nature of U.S. Catholicism.
Last October, during a synod with bishops in Rome, the pope's views on such issues gained worldwide attention as changes to doctrine like the blessing of same-sex unions—along with other long-held views on issues like priestly celibacy, married priests, the ordination of female deacons, and extending sacraments to divorced people—were discussed.
Francis DeBernardo, executive director of New Ways Ministry—a Catholic outreach that educates and advocates for equity, inclusion and justice for LGBTQ+ people—was in Rome for the synod and told Newsweek at the time that Pope Francis' views on such issues present "a great advance" for the Catholic Church.
"For a pope to express openness, even a little openness to blessing same-gender couples, is something I never thought I'd see in my lifetime," DeBernardo said.
"I think it's a very hopeful step. It's not the step we would have liked to see, which was more open and stronger support for blessings. But with his statements, blessings are going to go forward," he added.
DeBernardo shared a statement with Newsweek on Tuesday on the pope's latest remark and apology.
"New Ways Ministry welcomes Pope Francis' apology for using a derogatory word about gay people in a conversation with Italy's bishops," DeBernardo said. "It confirms our thought that use of the slur was a careless colloquialism. His apology is a model for all Catholic leaders who continue to use language and ideas that offend LGBTQ+ people, even unknowingly."
He added: "We are disappointed, however, that the pope did not clarify specifically what he meant by banning gay men from the priesthood. Without a clarification, his words will be interpreted as a blanket ban on accepting any gay man to a seminary. We ask Pope Francis, who famously once said of gay priests, 'Who am I to judge?' to provide a clearer statement on his views about gay priests, so many of whom faithfully serve the people of God each day."
Update 05/28/24, 1:04 p.m. ET: This story was updated with comment from New Ways Ministry.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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