Pope Francis has reportedly repeated a homophobic slur just weeks after facing backlash and apologising for using the same term.

At a meeting with Roman priests on Tuesday, June 11, the pontiff allegedly remarked that there is an air of “frociaggine” (roughly translated to ‘f*ggotry’) in the Vatican, as per ANSA news agency. He also is reported to have said that while young men with homosexual tendencies are “good lads”, it is better that they are not admitted to seminaries.

When asked to respond to this latest report, the Vatican made reference to a statement issued by Pope Francis surrounding Tuesday’s meeting, in which he reiterated the need to welcome gay people into the Church, but also the importance of exercising caution with regard to them entering the priesthood.

This comes after the Pope used the same derogatory and offensive slur in a closed-door meeting with bishops on May 20. There, he similarly expressed that gay men should not be allowed to become priests and that there is too much “frociaggine” in the church.

The emergence of the news last month sparked widespread backlash from the LGBTQ+ community and allies, prompting the Vatican to respond with the following statement: “Pope Francis is aware of the articles recently published about a conversation, behind closed doors, with the bishops of the CEI (the Italian Episcopal Conference of Catholic bishops).

“As he stated on several occasions, ‘In the Church there is room for everyone, for everyone! Nobody is useless, nobody is superfluous, there is room for everyone. Just as we are, all of us’.

“The Pope never intended to offend or express himself in homophobic terms, and he apologises to those who felt offended by the use of a term reported by others.”

Suggestions had previously been made that the Pope, whose first language is not Italian, may not have realised the term he used was offensive. It also came as a shock to many as the 87-year-old has been credited with improving the relationship between the Catholic Church and the LGBTQ+ community during his papacy.