Pope Francis allegedly doubled down on his use of an anti-homosexual slur in a meeting this week, according to prominent Italian news outlets.
The pontiff reportedly used the word frociaggine in a Tuesday meeting with priests in Rome in which he explained why the Catholic Church does not accept open homosexuals into the priesthood.
"A bishop came to me and told me, ‘There is too much frociaggine here in the Vatican,’" the pope told the priests, according to Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.
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The Italian reports cited anonymous sources claiming to have attended the meeting.
It's not the first time the pope has used the term while discussing the need to expel homosexuality from Catholic seminaries.
Italian news outlet Dagospia broke the news on May 27 that Pope Francis told the Italian Episcopal Conference in a private meeting that there is already too much "frociaggine" in some seminaries and that homosexuals shouldn't be allowed to enter the priesthood.
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Similar reports appeared in Italian outlets Corriere della Sera and La Repubblica following the alleged comments, which were not recorded.
"Pope Francis is aware of the articles that came out recently about a conversation, behind closed doors, with the bishops of the CEI (Italian Episcopal Conference)," the Vatican said in a statement following the May meeting.
The Vatican appeared to confirm the reports, but emphasized that the comment did not renege on Francis' assertion that all people are called to the Church, regardless of their personal issues or sins.
"As he has said 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,’" the Tuesday statement continued.
The Vatican press office added that the pope "never intended to offend or express himself in homophobic terms, and he extends his apologies to those who felt offended by the use of a term, reported by others."
The Vatican has ruled since 2005 that homosexual men cannot be considered for the priesthood.
Pope Francis has reaffirmed this stance on multiple occasions over the years.
