The Pope Apologizes for Using Inappropriate Vocabulary

On Monday, May 20, 2024, the Pope opened the 79th General Assembly of the CEI at the Vatican, with some 200 Italian bishops. As Vatican News reports, it was “An hour and a half of questions and answers between the bishops of Italy and the Bishop of Rome. [...]

“During this conversation, various Church and world problems were brought up: from the accompaniment of priests to today’s ideologies, from young people leaving the country to the decline in vocations, as well as the unification of dioceses, a procedure which could be interrupted.”

According to InfoCatolica, the discussion at one point involved “the admission of homosexuals to seminaries,” in violation of the Instruction Concerning the Criteria for the Discernment of Vocations  with regard to Persons with Homosexual Tendencies in view of their Admission to the Seminary and to Holy Orders from the Congregation for Catholic Education. 

The Congregation’s conclusion was clear: ”this Dicastery, in accord with the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, believes it necessary to state clearly that the Church [...] cannot admit to the seminary or to holy orders those who practise homosexuality, present deep-seated homosexual tendencies or support the so-called ‘gay culture’.”

It was then Francis who said, recommending to respect this 2005 directive: “I think there is too much ‘frociaggine’  [an Italian slang term for homosexuals] in certain seminaries.” It seems difficult to doubt that he said this, especially after the apology published by the Vatican. It is less certain, on the other hand, that the Pope understood the significance of a vulgar word in a language that is not his own.

A Statement of Apology

On May 28, Matteo Bruni, Director of the Press Office of the Holy See, made a statement to the press, in which the Pope offered his apologies. InfoCatolica comments drily, but it is difficult to prove them wrong: “Unlike other groups insulted by the Holy Father, when it comes to the gay lobby, rectifications are rather quick.”

Vatican News reports Matteo Bruni’s statement: "Pope Francis is aware of the recent articles regarding a closed-door conversation with the bishops of the CEI [Italian Bishops' Conference]. As he has stated on many occasions, 'There is room for everyone in the Church, for everyone! No one is useless; no one is superfluous; there is room for everyone. Just as we are, everyone.'”

The statement adds that, “The Pope never intended to offend or express himself in homophobic terms, and he apologizes to those who felt offended by the use of a term, as reported by others."

That is a perplexing turn of phrase. First of all, Francis does not deny that he used the term. Then, he seems to place the blame on those who made this line known--in other words, on one of the bishops present. Incidentally, it is frankly incredible that the Pope cannot express himself in front of the bishops, behind closed doors, without a text message making the contents of his speech known.

Finally, this mini-storm will have hidden the most important thing: the fact that opposition to the admission of homosexual candidates to seminaries is clearly reaffirmed, with even more visibility thanks to the unintentional publicity.