Pope Francis Under Fire For Allegedly Repeating Homophobic Slur That Led To Vatican Apology
Pope Francis is accused of employing a deeply offensive epithet to characterize homosexual men during a confidential gathering, merely a fortnight following the Vatican's expression of regret for his earlier use of the same derogatory language.
According to reports from the Italian news agency ANSA, sourced from individuals who wished to remain unnamed, Francis allegedly used the offensive term during a meeting on Tuesday. In this assembly, he purportedly advocated for the inclusion of gay men within the church while asserting their exclusion from seminaries.
The alleged incident occurred within the confines of a private session with Roman priests at The Salesian Pontifical University, according to claims from insiders familiar with the matter.
Last month, sources alleged the pope used similar language during a closed-door meeting with bishops. The subsequent Vatican response, a rare apology, was directed "to those who were offended."
In light of the recent accusation, the Vatican, when approached for comment, directed 'NBC News' to a prior statement concerning Tuesday's interaction with the priests. The statement highlighted the pope's reiterated stance on welcoming individuals with "homosexual tendencies" into the church. Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni indicated that no further comments were forthcoming.
Meanwhile, the 'Vatican News,' the Holy See's official media outlet, reported on the meeting without reference to the discussion surrounding homosexuality or the alleged use of derogatory language by the pope.
Following the uproar stemming from the pontiff's use of the term in May, Bruni shared in a statement that Francis, 87, remains inclusive and accepting of all individuals within the Catholic faith.
"As he has had the opportunity to state on several occasions, 'In the Church there is room for everyone, for everyone! No one is useless, no one is superfluous, there is room for everyone. Just as we are, everyone,' " Bruni stated.
"The pope never intended to offend or express himself in homophobic terms, and he extends his apologies to those who were offended by the use of a term, reported by others," Bruni also said.
The purported remarks from Francis reportedly caught some off guard given his reputation for espousing more progressive viewpoints compared to several of his predecessors, particularly regarding LGBTQ+ rights, women's roles within the Catholic Church, and environmental concerns.
