A Catholic priest has been relieved of his administrative duties after allowing pop star Sabrina Carpenter to film her provocative music video for “Feather” inside a 160-year-old church in Brooklyn.
In a letter to the parish of Our Lady of Mount Carmel-Annunciation in Williamsburg, which was posted on Facebook, pastor Msgr. Jamie J. Gigantiello apologized to the Bishop, the Diocese, and parishioners for the “shameful representation” in the video which he said he “whole-heartedly” renounced.
The priest also revealed that the bishop had relieved him of his administrative duties overseeing the church and that his 15 years at the church as Vicar for Development of the Diocese had concluded on Nov. 3, 2023.
Gigantiello told the New York Times that the video was “not what was initially presented” to him after he approved the filming in what he said was an “effort to further strengthen the bonds between the young creative artists who make up a large part of this community.”
A Catholic priest has been stripped of his administrative duties after allowing Sabrina Carpenter’s “Feather” music video to be filmed in a Brooklyn church.
The Diocese of Brooklyn says it was “appalled at what was filmed.” pic.twitter.com/dkTPqPtOaj
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) November 27, 2023
In the video, the 24-year-old singer and former Disney star sings about ex-lovers while dancing provocatively on the altar of the historic church, parading down the communion aisle while wearing a short black dress and black veil, as previously reported.
The altar contained pastel pink and blue coffins bearing crosses, candles, garlands, small angel statues, and a vase with an RIP sign holding dark red liquid. One of the coffins reads “RIP b***h.” One of the angel statues reads, “Good Girls Go 2 Heaven.” A neon cross is lit up under the church’s crucifix.
Other parts of the music video show Carpenter killing a man who took a picture up her skirt, as well as men killing each other as they apparently fight over Carpenter.
After the music video came out, the Brooklyn Diocese said in a November 2 statement that Bishop Robert Brennan “is appalled at what was filmed at Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church in Brooklyn,” Catholic News Agency reported.
“The parish did not follow diocesan policy regarding the filming on Church property, which includes a review of the scenes and script,” the diocese added.
The diocese also said the parish claimed the music video production company “failed to accurately represent the video content.”
Catholic churches usually house consecrated communion hosts, which the Catholic Church holds are the real material presence of Jesus, in a tabernacle on the altar. In the letter posted on FB, Gigantiello also assured the parish that he had removed the blessed sacrament from the church the day before the filming of the provocative music video.