Vatican remains silent on row over homophobia after Pope Francis shocked bishops by saying gay men should not be admitted to church seminars because “there is already too much bullshit” in closed meetings

The Vatican continues to remain silent on allegations that the pope used a derogatory homophobic slur while asserting that gay men should not be allowed into universities to train for the priesthood.

Pope Francis, 87, reportedly said “there is too much whore air” in the church, translated from Italian, in comments made last week and first published by the news site Italian tabloid Dasgopia on Monday.

Bishops at the meeting were reportedly surprised by the language the pontiff used to make the statement – ​​the derogatory word “f*****ry,” which roughly translates to f*****ry.

Italian news agency Adnkronos, citing sources, reported that the pope said in his speech: “Look: there is already an air of bullshit that is not good. There is today a culture of homosexuality towards those with a homosexual orientation (who) would be better off not being accepted (into the seminary).

The remark sparked “incredulous laughter,” the bishops told the Corriere della Sera newspaper, but represents a huge step backwards for activists after prolonged efforts to reform the Church’s stance on LGBTQ+ rights.

Remaining silent on the subject, the pope has not posted a message on Twitter/X since Monday.

The Vatican press bulletin has also not been updated since yesterday, referring to a meeting with a delegation of Buddhist monks in Thailand in which the pope called for building a “more inclusive world “.

On Tuesday morning, Vatican News – created at the behest of Pope Francis in 2015 with the Secretariat of Communications – reported this morning that the Pope met with World Children’s Day artists and volunteers in Rome today.

Italian media quoted the pope as saying: “Look, there is already an air of bullshit that is not good.

“There is a culture of homosexuality today, because of which it is preferable that those with a homosexual orientation are not welcomed (in the seminary).

“It is very difficult for a boy who has this tendency not to fall (into sin) because he comes (to the seminary) thinking that the life of the priest can support him, but then he falls during the work of the ministry .”

Some have suggested that these comments were an honest mistranslation on the part of the pope, for whom Italian is a second language, and that he “didn’t know” how offensive the word was.

But these allegations could mean a significant setback for the Church after years of shifting its stance on LGBTQ+ issues.

When asked about his views on homosexuality in 2013, he said: “If someone is gay and they seek the Lord and have good will, who am I to judge? »

Last year, he described laws that criminalize homosexuality as a “sin” and an “injustice,” and allowed Catholic priests to bless same-sex couples, a significant step forward for LGBT rights. in the church.

However, the pope delivered a similar message towards gay seminarians – without the reported swear word – when he met with Italian bishops in 2018, asking them to carefully consider candidates for the priesthood and reject anyone suspected of being homosexual.

Political gossip site Dagospia was the first to report the alleged incident, which reportedly occurred on May 20, when the Italian Bishops’ Conference opened a four-day assembly with a non-public meeting with the pontiff.

Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Francis’ native language is Spanish, and although he is fluent in Italian, he has made a number of linguistic missteps in the past.

He has previously said that if a boy is unsure about his sexuality and is facing mental health issues, he may need “psychiatric” support.

It was widely believed that he was talking more about “psychological” help, words he also confused on other occasions.

Francesco Lepore, a former priest who is now a gay rights activist, said he was “stunned” by the comments allegedly made by Francis, also known by his birth name Jorge Mario Bergoglio.

“Although he is now used to Bergoglio’s type of direct language, talking about ‘f*****ry’ in seminars sounds more like a bar and tavern than a pontiff,” he said. declared to the Repubblica.

“This expression would never have appeared on the lips of Paul VI, John Paul II or Benedict XVI, who also took damning positions towards homosexuality.

He added: “The Pope is right to say that the number of homosexual seminarians and clergy is very high. But simplicity of language has nothing to do with vulgarity.

Reports of the pontiff’s remarks at the meeting come after bishops approved a document regulating admission to Italian seminaries, according to Corriere.

The newspaper reports that members “majority approved an amendment recognizing the distinction between simple homosexual orientation and “deeply rooted tendencies.”

This means, he suggests, “in essence, that a homosexual person could be admitted to the seminary if, like the heterosexual, he gave the guarantee that he knows how to live the discipline of celibacy.”

However, this would imply “that it is more difficult for homosexuals because they will live in an all-male community for many years.”

Francis’ latest remarks apparently suggest he is taking a “more radical” view on the issue, preventing gay men from being allowed full membership.

The Holy See has not approved the document, according to reports, and the issue is still under discussion.

The 2005 Vatican document, issued under Pope Benedict XVI and approved by Francis in 2016, states that the Church “cannot admit to seminary or holy orders those who practice homosexuality, exhibit deeply rooted homosexual tendencies or support what is called “homosexuality”. culture.”

There is so far no official record of the pope’s latest comments on the matter and the Vatican has made no comment.