Pope Francis Apologizes for Homophobic Slur

Bishop Francesco Savino clarified that Pope Francis' remarks about gay seminarians were taken out of context and misused to create division. The Pope's comments, made during a private meeting with Italian bishops, emphasized the importance of candidates for the priesthood, whether homosexual or heterosexual, being able to live their vows of obedience, poverty, and chastity. The Vatican stated that Pope Francis did not intend to offend and apologized to those who felt hurt by the language used. The Pope's stance has always been one of inclusion and respect towards LGBTQ individuals.