Pope is accused of making sexist comment for saying 'gossiping is for women' - following outcry over his use of a homophobic term

Pope Francis has been accused of another gaffe after he made a sexist remark about women during a private talk with priests, leaving attendees stunned when he told them: ‘Gossiping is for women.’

The comments made at a conference for trainee priests in Rome were originally reported on a religious website called ‘Silere non possum’ – Latin for ‘I cannot remain silent’.

Pope Francis – who stepped into his role as the head of the Catholic Church in 2013 – made a similar comment last year when he told another group of priests to ‘wear the trousers’ and ‘know how to say things as they are’.

Back then he added: 'Gossiping is a plague, it helps no-one.'

The latest remark prompted leading Italian woman’s magazine Donna Moderna, or Modern Woman in English, to write in its coverage: 'What on earth is happening in the Vatican?’.

Pope Francis has been accused of making a sexist remark after he was heard saying that 'gossiping is for women'

The Pope's latest coments come just days after the Pope was forced to apologise after using a homophobic slur in a closed-door meeting

It comes just days after the Argentine pontiff was forced to apologise after using an offensive slur used to describe gay men at another conference.

He was quoted as saying there was ‘too much f*****try' in the Catholic Church, telling a closed-door meeting at an episcopal conference at the Vatican that homosexual men should not be allowed into colleges to train for the priesthood.

Bishops at the meeting were reportedly taken aback by the language the 87-year-old used to make the statement.

The alleged comments, which seem to go against recent moves to amend seminary admission rules, came as a surprise to some in the church as the Pope is known for taking a more liberal view than his predecessors on LGBT issues.

The Vatican later said: 'Pope Francis is aware of the articles which were recently published about a conversation behind closed doors, with the bishops of the Italian Conference of Bishops.

‘The Pope has never intended to offend or express himself using homophobic expressions and offers his apologies to those who felt offend by the use of the term, which as reported by others.

‘As he has said on various occasions, in the Church there is space for all, for all. No-one is useless, no-one is superfluous, there is space for all.’

There was no immediate response from the Vatican on the latest gaffe when MailOnline contacted them for comment.