Pope apologizes after reports surface that he used gay slur at bishops meeting

Pope Francis apologized on Tuesday after reports surfaced that he used an anti-gay slur during a private meeting with Catholic bishops.

He reportedly used the Italian term “frociaggine," which translates from to “faggotry” or "faggotness" in English.

The Pope made the comments while explaining to the Italian bishops at the meeting that homosexual men shouldn’t be allowed to become Catholic priests. 

“The Pope never intended to offend or express himself in homophobic terms, and he extends his apologies to those who felt offended by the use of a term, as reported by others,” a Vatican spokesperson said in a statement.

“As he (Pope Francis) has said on several occasions, ‘in the Church there is room for everyone, everyone! No one is useless, no one is superfluous, there is room for everyone. Just as we are, everyone.’”