Pope Francis has apologized following reports he used extremely derogatory language towards gay men.
A Vatican statement said the pope did not mean to offend anyone and apologized to those who were “hurt by the use of a word.”
At the Italian Bishops’ Conference, the pope reportedly said gay men should not be allowed to train for the priesthood, adding that there was already an air of frociagginewhich results in a very offensive insult.
This meeting took place in private, but was widely reported.
“Pope Francis is aware of recent reports regarding a conversation he had with bishops… behind closed doors,” said the director of the Holy See – the governing body of the Catholic Church – Matteo Bruni, in the press release.
The Pope’s reported remarks were first relayed to the Italian tabloid Dagospia, and were quickly confirmed by other Italian news agencies.
The reported remarks caused shock, especially since Pope Francis has often spoken publicly about respect for homosexuals.
Mr. Bruni said: “As he (the Pope) has repeatedly stated: ‘In the Church there is room for everyone, for everyone!’ No one is useless or superfluous, there is room for everyone, just as we are.’”
“The pope never intended to offend or use homophobic language, and he apologizes to anyone who felt offended (or) hurt by the use of a word,” he said. concluded Mr. Bruni in the Vatican press release.
The pope’s progressive supporters have long argued that while gay rights have changed little in Catholicism, he has changed the tone of the Church’s attitude.
Asked about homosexuals early in his pontificate, he made headlines by replying: “Who am I to judge?”
He has recently caused consternation among Catholic traditionalists by arguing that priests should be able to bless same-sex couples in certain circumstances and has frequently raised the possibility that homosexuals might be welcome in the Church.
Spanish-speaking defenders of the pope point out that he sometimes makes mistakes in Italian colloquialisms and suggest that he did not appreciate the level of offense he might have caused, even though he grew up in an Italian-speaking family in Argentina.
But the president of the Catholic LGBT rights group DignityUSA, Marianne Duddy-Burke, called the reported remarks “shocking and hurtful,” particularly to gay priests who have served “faithfully and well the people of God.”
“Unfortunately, even though it is a joke, the pope’s comment reveals the extent of anti-gay prejudice and institutional discrimination that still exists in our Church,” she told the Reuters news agency.
News Source : www.bbc.com
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