Pope apologizes for using ‘homophobic’ slang

[Michie]

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis “never intended to offend or express himself in homophobic terms, and he extends his apologies to those who were offended by the use of a term, reported by others,” that is considered vulgar in Italian, the Vatican press office said.

Six days after Pope Francis had a closed-door meeting with members of the Italian bishops’ conference, a notorious Italian gossip website reported that the pope used a derogatory slang term in Italian to describe some seminaries as being marked by a gay culture.

The website, Dagospia, said the pope used the term May 20 when responding to a bishop’s question about admitting gay men to seminaries as candidates for priesthood. The Vatican press office declined multiple requests for comment.


Leading Italian newspapers La Repubblica and Corriere della Sera said May 27 they confirmed with unnamed Italian bishops that Pope Francis had used the vulgar slang, although Corriere also noted that the pope “sometimes stumbles over somewhat creative Italian without being aware of the nuances.”

Vatican clarifies Pope Francis’ comments on seminaries​

Continued below.

Pope apologizes for using 'homophobic' slang

The website, Dagospia, said the pope used a derogatory slang term May 20 when responding to a bishop's question about admitting gay men to seminaries as candidates for priesthood.

www.oursundayvisitor.com

 

[Michie]

Pope Uses Blunt Slang Word for Homosexuals While Saying There Are ‘Too Many’ of Them in Seminaries; Vatican Spokesman Offers ‘Apologies to Those Who Were Offended’

 

[RileyG]

Italian is not his first language, Spanish is. He probably didn't even mean it intentionally, but at least he is humble enough to apologize.

(Yes, I realize Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian are all very similar, but they have different endings. I was a Spanish minor in college).

 

[Michie]

Is the Pope’s PR safety net misrepresenting his use of slang?

 

[Solo81]

I'm not upset at the alleged use of the word. I am peeved that a Bishop ran straight to Media to report what was said though.

 

[WarriorAngel]

I'm not upset at the alleged use of the word. I am peeved that a Bishop ran straight to Media to report what was said though.

That would be a problem.

I wonder what the slang is.
IF this is true, I do not see how he is for the gay lifestyle... as so many claim.

 

[Solo81]

The alleged word used was "faggotry".
'There is too much faggotry in seminarys already' - or something close to that.

 

[Michie]

Is the Pope’s PR safety net misrepresenting his use of slang?

One of the topics that arose was the question of the admission of homosexual men to Catholic seminaries. Soon afterwards, rumors began to circulate that Francis had used an off-color term in the context of the discussion, saying there’s already too much frociaggine in seminaries, which translates roughly to “faggotry.”


The root term in Italian is frocio, the most widely used pejorative term in Italian for a gay man, the etymology of which has been lost in time. (One theory traces it back to the 1527 sack of Rome, when feroci, or “ferocious”, invading troops supposedly raped men and women indistinctly, but nobody really knows.) The suffix -aggine denotes a quality or characteristic; for instance, Italians take the word stupido (which means what you think) and turn it into stupidaggini to convey acts of stupidity, i.e., “nonsense.”

 

[Cosmic Charlie]

Once upon a time, 4 female lawyers were giving testimony to a Senate Committee on the subject of women and children in poverty. The committee was motivated to do something about this problem and had many questions for these women about policies and programs that could help. The Committee Chair, one Strom Thurmond was, at the time, both alive and about 85 years old. Sen. Thurmond asked the women if they could say overnight, since it had gotten late in the day and the Committee still had many questions to ask.

He said, approximately, "Can we get a hotel for these lovely ladies to stay in and have them come back tomorrow?"

Sen. Thurmond got jumped on for saying "lovely ladies" and causing these professional women of substance to feel condescended to.

GEEEEZZZZZ....

I am no defender of Strom Thurmond but how about a little understanding of changing manners?

Sen Thurmond was raised in a time and a place where you just put the word "lovely" in front of "lady" as sure as you put "amen" at the end of a prayer.

It was just done. Strom was an old man, saying what came naturally to him, his manners and his way of looking at the world. Have a little tolerance. He meant no harm.

Frankie, he's old. He's smart, and he's cosmopolitan in his thinking, but he's old and has old world South American manners and likely speaks like an Argentinian man born in the political turbulence of 1930's, where homosexuals were treated rather badly.

He said something impolitic. Ok, fine. It happens to old folk.

Again, a little tolerance goes a long way.

 

[fide]

That would be a problem.

I wonder what the slang is.
IF this is true, I do not see how he is for the gay lifestyle... as so many claim.

It may sound counter-intuitive, but it is not unusual for people to have a love-hate relationship with significant aspects of their personhood. A homosexual might be strongly defensive of "gay rights and equivalence" while at the same time hating gayness in himself and others. I have heard members of minority groups take derogatory slang words used by their enemies against them in insult, and then use those very terms of insult to insult one another - either jokingly or seriously. It is sad, even tragic, even betraying a danger in some toward suicide.

 

[RileyG]

It may sound counter-intuitive, but it is not unusual for people to have a love-hate relationship with significant aspects of their personhood. A homosexual might be strongly defensive of "gay rights and equivalence" while at the same time hating gayness in himself and others. I have heard members of minority groups take derogatory slang words used by their enemies against them in insult, and then use those very terms of insult to insult one another - either jokingly or seriously. It is sad, even tragic, even betraying a danger in some toward suicide.

Yes. The word "queer" comes to mind.

 

[WarriorAngel]

SO I watched Michael Knowles video with an exorcist who exorcised a guys 'genitals' if I recall that right of the lust demon.
He was a changed man and went onto to happily marry a woman and have children.

 

[WarriorAngel]

49:00 onwards

 

[chevyontheriver]

The alleged word used was "faggotry".
'There is too much faggotry in seminarys already' - or something close to that.

Aside from the fact that what he said is true, we expect our popes to not have their minds in the gutters.

I’m still waiting for him to apologize to me about the nasty things he has said about people like me. But then a miserable indietrist like me doesn’t have the clout in the Church that the sexualists have. Apologies to those guys and I can go hang.

 

[Michie]

Aside from the fact that what he said is true, we expect our popes to not have their minds in the gutters.

I’m still waiting for him to apologize to me about the nasty things he has said about people like me. But then a miserable indietrist like me doesn’t have the clout in the Church that the sexualists have. Apologies to those guys and I can go hang.

Yeah that came to my mind as well. Apologies only come quickly and without a need of clarification to certain folks it seems.

 

[Solo81]

Aside from the fact that what he said is true, we expect our popes to not have their minds in the gutters.

I’m still waiting for him to apologize to me about the nasty things he has said about people like me. But then a miserable indietrist like me doesn’t have the clout in the Church that the sexualists have. Apologies to those guys and I can go hang.

I doubt the apology to the gays was sincere so would you really want an apology from PF?
I don't pay attention to anything he says unless they're prepared addresses or announcements. He has some really good speechwriters who are worth listening to - especially when writing about prayer. All other topics i don't bother with or when he shares his personal thoughts.

 

[RileyG]

SO I watched Michael Knowles video with an exorcist who exorcised a guys 'genitals' if I recall that right of the lust demon.
He was a changed man and went onto to happily marry a woman and have children.

That’s…..odd. Interesting, but odd.

 

[Wolseley]

Maybe the pope would be better off if he stuck to following Jesus' example. You know: the guy who called people hypocrites, sons of hell, sons of Satan, vipers, serpents, ravening wolves, whitewashed sepulchers, liars, fools, infidels, and blind guides.

Pretty harsh. Maybe He should have been required to take some sensitivity seminars.

 

[chevyontheriver]

I doubt the apology to the gays was sincere so would you really want an apology from PF?

Since I'm not actually expecting an apology it kind of doesn't matter if would be insincere or not. If I got an apology I would be dumbfounded.

 

[WarriorAngel]

That’s…..odd. Interesting, but odd.

Yea right. Who knew?