Pope Francis allegedly used an offensive slur to refer to LGBTQ people in conversations with bishops over allowing gay men into seminaries, highlighting the Catholic Church’s complex position on the community.

Francis, 87, allegedly told bishops convening last week in Rome not to admit homosexual men into seminaries and labeled them with a very offensive word, media including Corriere della Sera and Repubblica reported late Monday citing sources who attended the closed-door meeting. Some of the reports also referred to a language issue, as he might have not been aware of the exact nuance of the word in Italian.

During the remarks he reportedly however stressed the need to welcome everyone.

The Vatican has not publicly commented on the reports, and a spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.

Since his papacy began, Pope Francis has taken a more welcoming stance on the LGBTQ community, receiving both praise and criticism from the Catholic community for it.

He recently said that priests should be able to bless same-sex couples in some occasions, one the Vatican’s most progressive remarks to date yet.