Pope Francis never intended to offend: ‘Room for everyone in the Church’
Vatican News reports
The Director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, tells reporters that Pope Francis is “aware” of the articles about a closed-door conversation with Italian Bishops, and affirms that the Pope “never intended to offend or express himself in homophobic terms, and he apologizes to those who felt offended”.
By Vatican News
“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.”
The Director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, made that statement on Tuesday in response to questions from journalists about the use of a term regarding the admission of homosexual people to the seminary.
“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 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.”
Link to article:
https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2024-05/pope-francis-apology-italian-bishops-conference.html
This suggest that Pope Francis frets about the gayness of his clergy. If he wants the church to rejoice in being a gay accepting community (and a lesbian accepting and transgender welcoming community) he should also tell the clergy to rejoice in their godgiven sexual identities. The frantic efforts at degaying the church are simply ridiculous, beginning with the notorious Instruction of 2005 and its bland non-reception by everyone concerned (https://josephsoleary.typepad.com/my_weblog/2005/12/vatican_instruc.html). All Vatican personnel, before opening their mouths on these topics, should take it for granted that everyone has read this book: https://www.amazon.com/Closet-Vatican-Power-Homosexuality-Hypocrisy/dp/1472966147
An interesting article from Michael Seán Winters, NCR Online on this topic – Pope’s comments on blessing same-sex couples and gay men in seminaries are not as shocking as some think
https://www.ncronline.org/opinion/ncr-voices/popes-comments-blessing-same-sex-couples-and-gay-men-seminaries-are-not-shocking?utm_source=NCR+List&utm_campaign=b37f9808b9-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2024_05_28_09_38&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6981ecb02e-b37f9808b9-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D
What came over our hero?!
This is so disappointing—and depressing.
I can’t understand the fuss over these remarks by the Holy Father. Surely, at a closed meeting of Bishops, the Bishop of Rome of all People, has the right to speak his mind regarding possible candidates for Holy Orders.
I suspect some in the Italian Hierarchy were furtively trying to get Pope Benedict XVI’s viewpoint overturned.
It is reassuring to see these liberals, who specialize in behind the scenes manoeuvres, having the tables turned on them!
Dermot Quigley, can you really not understand? I wonder where the Pope, who is Spanish speaking, picked up that Italian word, frociaggine, pronounced froshajeenay with accent on the a, and deriving from frocio, pronounced frosho? I suspect it emerged in his conversations with Italian clergy. The Spanish equivalent for frocio is maricón, and in English it would be faggot. Internet inquiries run into warnings of offensive content: https://context.reverso.net/traduzione/italiano-spagnolo/frocio This is where Homosexualitatis problema has taken our church.
Please note article in America magazine:
https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2024/05/29/pope-francis-massingale-homophobic-comment-248039?utm_source=piano&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2928&pnespid=66J5DzpBOP0V2aPaoGztHs2MsUmrVph9Kea.y.lhqBFmER9DZwn0HwBcUbeCM8EBNs1LmaTM
A question to ponder: Is it time to “take a risk for Christ” in the power of the Spirit and let the truth set us free,individually and collectively,as Body of Christ?…
https://www.ncronline.org/opinion/guest-voices/now-time-lgbtq-priests-and-religious-come-out
https://www.newwaysministry.org/resources/journeys/
https://www.newwaysministry.org/resources/journeys/
Joe@1 and@5 I have been trying hard to understand what possessed Francis to use the offensive language that he used at that meeting with the Italian bishops.
Now, I am sure Francis is fully aware of what goes on inside the Vatican and he didn’t need Professor Martel’s research and subsequent book to inform him. Remember his explosive 14 critiques of Vatican culture in December 2014.
And, of course, all half decent and enlightened people find the offensive language used in Homosexualitatis Problema unacceptable, outrageous in fact.
We know from the research of the late Richard Sipe and the late Donald Cozzens that in Europe and Canada and America 75-80% of our priests/bishops are gay men.
Now we also know that 5-10% of humankind in general, approximately, are homosexual.
So, I wonder is it a legitimate question to ask why this 5-10% is not reflected in our priesthood and, perhaps, that is what Francis was getting at.
I remember many years ago reading Fr. Joe Dunn in one of his wonderful little books dealing with this very subject, homosexuality in the priesthood, and I think Joe’s conclusion — if I remember correctly — was that gay men are more compassionate, caring and gentle than heterosexual men and so they are drawn towards our priesthood.
“I wonder is it a legitimate question to ask why this 5-10% is not reflected in our priesthood and, perhaps, that is what Francis was getting at.” Of course it’s a legitimate question, but the answer is rather obvious. Perhaps the Italian word “frociaggine” is not as offensive as English words like “poof” and means something like “campiness” — in any case it’s message is clear: “Gay seminarians are just a headache for the church. Why is the good Lord not sending us heterosexual men ready to give up their sexual lives? Why can’t our gay priests do a better job concealing their orientation and pretending to be heterosexuals?”
The foremost scourge of gay priests in the British Isles was Bishop Pat Buckley, recently deceased (requiescat in pace). The only voice raised on his behalf is that of his Filipino husband who says Pat made him a better person. The seemingly vast army who manned his blogsite are deadly silent, because they are all Anonymous.