Pope Francis again uses slur for gay priests in Vatican: Italian media
Summary
A month ago, the pope used an offensive word to describe gay priests in the Vatican, and he has since used the slur in a meeting with bishops. He apologized for his statements and said that he did not intend to be offensive. In the meeting, he expresses that the LGBTQ+ community is welcomed to the church but he has reservations about them becoming seminarians.
Relevance
The pope’s statements are important in defining Catholic values, because of his status. His use of slurs to refer to gay people, reveals his attitudes on that community. His comments about the limitations of their role in the church demonstrates that the Church is not very accepting towards the LBGTQ community. Relevant to Catholic hospitals, is the availability of gender affirming treatments and the experiences of LGBTQ+ members.