On May 26, World Children’s Day, Pope Francis celebrated Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.
Filippo Montfort/AFP via Getty Images
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Filippo Montfort/AFP via Getty Images
Pope Francis has apologized for using a derogatory term to refer to gay men during a closed-door discussion among bishops earlier this month.
Matteo Bruni, director of the Vatican’s press office, said: “The pope never intended to offend or express himself in homophobic terms, and he apologizes to those who were offended by his use of the term.”
During a meeting with Italian bishops at the Vatican last week, the issue of whether to allow gay men to enter Catholic seminaries to prepare for the priesthood was discussed.
Italian media reported that several people who attended the meeting revealed that Francis opposed the idea, saying that “it is already too much.”FroccaginiIn seminary. Frochakin is an offensive slang term in Italian referring to gay men and gay culture.
The controversy is the latest in a series of moves that many LGBTQ Catholics believe are sending mixed messages. Earlier this year, the Vatican released a document titled infinite dignity Considers so-called “gender change” and “gender theory” as serious threats.
But late last year, Pope Francis issued guidance allowing priests to bless people in same-sex relationships, although not the relationship itself.
The Catholic Church’s official teaching on the matter is that homosexuality is inherently disordered and that sexual intercourse between persons of the same sex is a serious sin.
Still, Bruni said on Tuesday, “ [Francis] He has said many times, “There is room for everyone in the church.”
