(29 May 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
St Peter Square, Vatican – 29 May 2024
1. Pope Francis arriving on Popemobile
2. Close of Pope Francis waving from vehicle
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Nicole Winfield, Associated Press:
"Pope Francis was forced to apologize after he was caught using a derogatory slur to describe gay men. Francis was speaking behind closed doors on May 20th to a group of Italian bishops. According to media reports, he used the term ‘faggotry’ in describing the atmosphere of some seminaries. Francis was essentially upholding the Vatican’s ban on allowing gay men to enter seminaries and become priests."
4. Pope Francis praying
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Nicole Winfield, Associated Press:
"The Vatican was forced to issue a statement on Tuesday, where the Pope apologized. He said he never intended to use a homophobic term or to cause offense. And the statement also recalled that Francis has really made a priority of making the church open to everyone. Indeed, he has really prioritized reaching out to LGBTQ Catholics, starting from that very first line, ‘Who am I to judge’, back in 2013."
6. Various St Peter’s basilica and people through colonnade
STORYLINE:
Pope Francis apologized on Tuesday after he was quoted using a vulgar term about gay men to reaffirm the Catholic Church’s ban on gay priests.
Italian media on Monday had quoted unnamed Italian bishops in reporting that Francis jokingly used the term “faggotry” while speaking in Italian during a close door encounter on May 20.
"The Vatican was forced to issue a statement on Tuesday where the Pope apologized", explained AP correspondent Nicole Winfield.
"He said he never intended to use a homophobic term or to cause offense."
Italian is not Francis’ mother tongue language, and the Argentine pope has made linguistic gaffes in the past that raised eyebrows.
The 87-year-old Argentine pope often speaks informally, jokes using slang and even curses in private.
He has been known for his outreach to LGBTQ+ Catholics, however, starting from his famous “Who am I to judge ” comment in 2013 about a priest who purportedly had a gay lover in his past.
He has ministered to transgender Catholics, allowed priests to bless same-sex couples and called for an end to anti-gay legislation, saying in a 2023 interview with The Associated Press that “ Being homosexual is not a crime. ”
AP Video shot by Paolo Santalucia
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