Pope Francis has sparked a backlash after allegedly using a homophobic slur. Francis reportedly used the term while speaking about why gay men shouldn't be allowed to become priests in a closed meeting with Italian bishops earlier this month. The Italian political website Dagospia was first to report on the alleged comments, which have since been reported by newspapers and According to , Francis reiterated during the assembly with bishops on May 20 that gay people shouldn't be allowed to become priests.
He then said that seminaries, or priesthood colleges, are already too full of "frociaggine," which translates roughly to "faggotness." cited some unnamed bishops in its report, who suggested the pope, an Argentine, may not have realized the Italian word he used was offensive since it isn't his mother tongue. The Vatican has been contacted for comment via email.
The reported comments sparked a backlash on social media. "So you know how is generally portrayed as a big cuddly liberal?" Marcus Walker, a clergyman in the Church of England, , formerly . "He has just used perhaps the most offensive homophobic term in Italian (basically f*g**t) while calling on bishops not to accept any seminarians who are gay.
" So you know how Pope Francis is generally portrayed as a big cuddly liberal? He has just used perhaps the most offensive homophobic term in Italian (basically f*g**t) while calling on bishops not to accept any seminarians who are gay. Another person : "This is the 'progressive.
