Bishops say Pope Francis didn’t know what term he used to refer to gays was offensive

The term “frociaggine” is considered offensive to the homosexual community. In the pope’s defense, the bishops said, speaking on condition of anonymity, in statements to Italian newspapers La Repubblica and Corriere della Sera that Francis did not realize how offensive the slang term “frociaggine” was. It is said that the Pope’s native language is Castilian and that Francis, while using the Italian term, did not know its meaning.

With the gay community outraged and the Church puzzled, the debate took on a political dimension. “Who called me a homophobe?” asked populist Roberto Vannacci, a candidate in the European elections for the League of Deputy Prime Ministers of Matteo Salvini, who says homosexuals are abnormal people.

Alessandro Zahn, a Democratic candidate, responded by calling the Pope’s comments “homophobic.” In response, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said Tuesday that “the Pope never intended to offend or express homophobic feelings and apologizes.” The Vatican recalls the words of Francis at WYD in Lisbon: “In the Church there is a place for everyone, for everyone. No one is useless, no one is superfluous.”