Last month, we learned that Pope Francis used a homophobic slur in a closed-door meeting with Italian bishops. The Italian word he used, and I apologize to all of the Italian speakers out there, was “fr0ciaggine.” Think of one of the worst versions of the English f-slur, that’s basically the translation of “fr0ciaggine.” The context of Franny’s original usage was that the super-gay activities in the clergy must be rooted out. Incidentally, around the same time, Franny also told a group of bishops that “gossip is a women’s thing” and that men “wear the trousers.” He said that while wearing a dress, surrounded by men who were also wearing dresses.

We found out about the first homophobic slur because it was first widely gossiped about in the Italian/Vatican City community, then the Vatican spokesperson had to come out and apologize on behalf of Franny. Well, Francis decided to dust off the slur again for Pride Month. My dude, stop talking, oh my god.

The pope has again used a highly disparaging word against gay people for which he had already apologized last month, ANSA news agency said on Tuesday.

Italian media had attributed to the pope the use of a vulgar Italian term roughly translating as “f*****ry,” on May 20 during a closed-door meeting with Italian bishops.

According to ANSA, Francis repeated the term on Tuesday as he met Roman priests, saying “there is an air of f*****ry in the Vatican,” and it was better that young men with a homosexual tendency not be allowed to enter the seminary.

Asked about the latest report, the Vatican’s press office made reference to a statement it had issued regarding Tuesday’s meeting with the priests, in which the pope reiterated the need to welcome gay people into the Church and the need for caution regarding them becoming seminarians.

After the initial report of his use of the word, Corriere della Sera newspaper quoted unnamed bishops who were in the room as suggesting that the pope, as an Argentine, might not have realized the Italian term he used was offensive. Last month, a source close to the pope told CNN the phrase could also be understood as there is a “gay climate” in the seminaries.

The Vatican ruled in 2005 that the church cannot allow the ordination of men who are actively gay or have “deep-seated” homosexual tendencies. In 2016, Francis upheld this ruling.

[From CNN]

Even if you could argue that an Argentinian used a vulgar homophobic slur because he isn’t steeped in the nuances of the Italian language, you would think the initial backlash THE FIRST TIME would have convinced him to stop saying the word in any circumstance. I would argue that Francis is absolutely fluent enough in Italian to know exactly what he’s saying and he means all of it. He’s saying it with his whole chest, repeatedly, that he believes there’s an air of “fr0ciaggine” in seminaries AND the Vatican. This is so wild!! During Pride Month, bro.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.