A priest in Brooklyn (New York) has been removed from his position after Sabrina Carpenter’s MV shoot
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn announced in November that Reverend Jamie J. Gigantiello was relieved of his administrative duties at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel-Annunciation Parish in Brooklyn after Sabrina Carpenter’s MV “Feather” was released on YouTube on Halloween (October 31). Bishop Robert Brennan had to perform a rededication ceremony for the church during the Mass on November 25.
The video, with 11 million views, shows Sabrina Carpenter in an extremely short black outfit and wearing a face-covering mesh, posing provocatively in front of four upright coffins inside the church.
Earlier on November 2, Brennan expressed horror upon learning about the MV and pledged to investigate the controversy. Brennan then announced that Auxiliary Bishop Witold Mroziewski had been appointed the temporary administrator of the parish with full administrative oversight of the church while Gigantiello was under review, according to the Catholic News Agency (CNA).
CNA reported that Gigantiello’s tenure as the development representative of the diocese was also revoked. He held this position for the past 15 years. However, he is still allowed to celebrate Mass.
In a letter to the parishioners on November 6, Gigantiello sought forgiveness from fellow believers for his unwarranted oversight. He explained that, despite being informed that most of the video was filmed outside the 160-year-old church, he and his team were unaware of provocative scenes taking place inside the sanctuary, as well as the placement of fake coffins and other funeral props in the preservation area.
“While I take full responsibility for the wrong decision to allow the filming, I want to assure everyone that I had no knowledge of such a scene taking place in our church, where we have worked diligently to restore its current sacred beauty,” he wrote.
The priest with 28 years of experience added that initially, a local film crew approached him for permission to shoot the music video, along with notification of Sabrina Carpenter’s involvement.
After searching for the singer’s name, he found nothing suspicious and agreed. Gigantiello stated that the $5,000 earned by the church from the video would be donated to Bridge to Life, a crisis pregnancy support center in Flushing, Queens (New York).
An anonymous female parishioner expressed regret about Father Gigantiello’s removal in The New York Post on November 28. She commented on his dedication, kindness, and charm, calling for his reinstatement.
She also criticized Carpenter for choosing to film in a place of religious significance: “In terms of the video, nothing is wrong. It’s just a foolish pop MV. If you see it elsewhere, who cares? But this is a sacred space. For people of faith, that space is inviolable.”
Sabrina Carpenter (born 1999) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She gained fame for her role as Maya Hart in the Disney Channel series Girl Meets World. Carpenter portrayed Jenny Parker in the 2016 film Adventures in Babysitting.
In 2012, she signed a contract with Hollywood Records. In 2014, Carpenter released her debut single “Can’t Blame a Girl for Trying” and the accompanying extended play. She released her debut album, Eyes Wide Open, in 2015. Subsequently, she released other albums, including Evolution (2016), Singular: Act I (2018), Singular: Act II (2019), and Emails I Can’t Send (2022).
Source: K14
