Pope Francis apologized Tuesday after he was quoted using a vulgar term about gays to reaffirm the Catholic Church91裸聊视频檚 ban on gay priests.

Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni issued a statement acknowledging the media storm that erupted about Francis91裸聊视频� comments, which were delivered behind closed doors to Italian bishops on May 20.

Italian media on Monday had quoted unnamed Italian bishops in reporting that Francis jokingly used the term 91裸聊视频渇aggotness91裸聊视频� while speaking in Italian during the encounter. He had used the term in reaffirming the Vatican91裸聊视频檚 ban on allowing gay men to enter seminaries and be ordained priests.

Bruni said Francis was aware of the reports and recalled that the Argentine pope, who has made outreach to LGBTQ+ Catholics a hallmark of his papacy, has long insisted there was 91裸聊视频渞oom for everyone91裸聊视频� in the Catholic Church.

91裸聊视频淭he pope never intended to offend or express himself in homophobic terms, and he extends his apologies to those who were offended by the use of a term that was reported by others,91裸聊视频� Bruni said.

Francis was addressing an assembly of the Italian bishops conference, which recently approved a new document outlining training for Italian seminarians. The document, which hasn91裸聊视频檛 been published pending review by the Holy See, reportedly sought to open some wiggle room in the Vatican91裸聊视频檚 absolute ban on gay priests.

The Vatican ban was articulated in a 2005 document from the Congregation for Catholic Education, and later repeated in a subsequent document in 2016, which said the church cannot admit to seminaries or ordain men who 91裸聊视频減ractice homosexuality, present deep-seated homosexual tendencies or support the so-called gay culture.91裸聊视频�

Francis strongly reaffirmed that position in his May 20 meeting with the Italian bishops, joking that 91裸聊视频渢here is already an air of faggotness91裸聊视频� in seminaries, the Italian media reported, after initial reporting from gossip site Dagospia.

Italian is not Francis91裸聊视频� mother tongue language, and the Argentine pope has made linguistic gaffes in the past that raised eyebrows. The 87-year-old Argentine pope often speaks informally, jokes using slang and even curses in private.

He has been known for his outreach to LGBTQ+ Catholics, however, starting from his famous 91裸聊视频淲ho am I to judge91裸聊视频� comment in 2013 about a priest who purportedly had a gay lover in his past.

Nicole Winfield, The Associated Press