POPE EXTENDS APOLOGIES OVER 'HOMOPHOBIC' SLUR, SAYS VATICAN

Pope Francis issued an extraordinary apology on Tuesday over his reported use of a gay slur in a closed-door meeting with Italian bishops last week.

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“The pope never intended to offend or express himself in homophobic terms and he extends his apologies to those who felt offended by the use of a term, reported by others,” the Vatican said in a statement.

During a meeting with more than 250 bishops last week, the 87-year-old pontiff was said to have used an offensive term while expressing his opposition to openly homosexual men joining training colleges for priests, even if they committed to celibacy.