Pope Francis apologizes over use of gay slur, Vatican says
Pope Francis, widely quoted as having used a highly derogatory word to describe the LGBTQ community, did not intend to use homophobic language and apologizes to anyone offended by it, the Vatican said on Tuesday.
![Pope Francis apologizes over use of gay slur, Vatican says](https://i.cbc.ca/1.7216857.1716904102!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/16x9_620/italy-pope-world-children-day.jpg)
![Pope Francis presides over a mass for the World Children Day, in St.Peter's Square at the Vatican, on Sunday, May 26, 2024. A man in white robes and a white skullcap speaks into a microphone being held by a boy in white robes. Another boy in white robes holds a book the man is reading from.](https://i.cbc.ca/1.7216857.1716904102!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/16x9_620/italy-pope-world-children-day.jpg)
Pope Francis, widely quoted as having used a highly derogatory word to describe the LGBTQ community, did not intend to use homophobic language and apologizes to anyone offended by it, the Vatican said on Tuesday.