- The bishops told Italian media that the comments were met with “laughter of disbelief.”
Pope Francis has reportedly shocked bishops in Italy by using an offensive slur by saying gay men should not be admitted to church seminaries because there is already “too much” gay sexual activity.
The pontiff told an episcopal conference at the Vatican that gay men should not be allowed to enter universities to train for the priesthood, Italian media reports.
The bishops present at the meeting were reportedly taken aback by the language he used to make this statement: the derogatory word “frociaggine,” which roughly translates to f*****ry.
The comment was met with “laughter of disbelief,” the bishops told Corriere della Sera newspaper. They suggested it was an honest mistake by the pope, for whom Italian is his second language, and that he did not know how offensive the word was.
The alleged comments, which appear to run counter to recent moves to amend seminary admission rules, have come as a surprise to some in the church, as Francis is known for taking a more liberal view on LGBT rights than his predecessors. .
Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Francisco’s first language is Spanish and although he speaks Italian fluently, he has made several linguistic mistakes in the past.
When asked about his opinion on homosexuality in 2013, he famously said, “If someone is gay and seeks the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?”
Last year, he described laws criminalizing homosexuality as a “sin” and an “injustice,” and allowed Catholic priests to bless same-sex couples in a significant step forward for LGBT rights in the church.
Reports of the May 20 closed-door meeting came after bishops approved a document regulating admission to Italian seminaries, according to Corriere.
The newspaper reported that members ‘approved by majority vote an amendment recognizing the distinction between simple homosexual orientation and ‘deeply ingrained tendencies.’
This, he suggests, means “in essence, that a homosexual person could be admitted to the seminary if, like the heterosexual, he gave the guarantee that he knows how to live the discipline of celibacy.”
However, it is said to imply “that it is more difficult for homosexuals because they will live in an all-male community for many years.”
Francis’ latest comments suggest he is taking a “more radical” view on the issue, stopping gay men from being allowed to join forces altogether.
The Holy See has reportedly not approved the document and the issue is still under discussion.
The comments were reportedly made in a closed-door meeting before the conference. In the photo: Opening session of the 79th general assembly of the Italian Episcopal Conference
The 2005 Vatican document, which was endorsed by Francis in 2016, states that the Church “cannot admit into the seminary or sacred orders those who practice homosexuality, present deeply rooted homosexual tendencies or support the so-called ‘gay culture.'” .
So far there is no official record of the Pope’s latest comments on the subject.
Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Francisco’s first language is Spanish and although he speaks Italian fluently, he has made several linguistic mistakes in the past.
He had previously said that if a child is unsure of their sexuality and facing mental health issues, they may need “psychiatric” support.
The general opinion is that he was referring to “psychological” help, words that he has also confused on other occasions.
