Pope Francis used an offensive slur for gay men in a closed-door discussion with Italian bishops last week, two sources who were in the room told NBC News.
The pontiff’s use of the derogatory term was first reported Monday by Italian media, which said that the comment came at an assembly of bishops held behind closed doors May 20. The group was discussing the issue of admitting homosexual men into seminaries when Francis used an Italian term that represents a vulgar way to refer to a gay person, the sources said.
Francis reiterated that gay men should not be allowed to train in seminaries as priests, according to Italian media, which said that his use of the slur left some in the audience surprised given the pope’s track record of a more welcoming approach toward the LGBTQ+ community.
The political gossip website Dagospia appears to have been the first to report on the alleged incident, citing multiple “shocked” bishops who took part in the bishop conference.
The Vatican has not officially commented on the pope’s alleged remark and did not immediately respond to a request for comment from NBC News.
One of Italy’s largest newspapers, Corriere della Sera, quoted several unnamed bishops suggesting that the pope may not have been aware of how offensive the word is in Italian.
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Author: Faith N
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