Pope admits to existence of gay lobby in Vatican government

Vatican City: T here is a “gay lobby” inside the Vatican government or curia, Pope Francis admitted, saying “we will have to see what we can do”.

Francis made the remark during an audience with members of the Latin American and Caribbean Confederation of Religious Men and Women (CLAR).

He also signalled his support for the reform of the government of the Catholic Church.

Benedict ordered the report after leaks of private papal documents to Italian media that laid bare corruption and venemous infighting in the Vatican.

His former butler, Paolo Gabriele, was jailed for the leaks but was released after Benedict pardoned him.

The “Vatileaks” report was prepared by a three-cardinal commission. It uncovered a lobby of “worldly” gay prelates that could affect individual promotion prospects and wielded “external influence”, the La Repubblica daily said.

Shortly before Benedict abdicated in February, the Vatican said the report would “remain solely at the disposition of the new pope”.

There has been speculation that the alleged gay lobby’s power had influenced Benedict’s decison to step down.