The priest who allowed Sabrina Carpenter to film a music video in her church has been removed from his position after being found guilty of “major violations of diocesan policies and protocols.”
A decision with serious consequences. The song “Feather” by Sabrina Carpenter caused a real uproar when it was released last year, due to scenes deemed provocative in the historic Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Brooklyn (United States). The head of this parish, Father Jamie Gigantiello, was relieved of his duties on Monday, November 18, after an investigation revealed other cases of mismanagement.
This investigation, launched after the broadcast of the video, highlighted the transfer of $1.9 million in parish funds to accounts affiliated with Frank Carone, former chief of staff to New York Mayor Eric Adams, currently targeted by an investigation for corruption. These transfers, made between 2019 and 2021, had not been authorized or properly documented, contravening the diocese's investment protocols, explained Bishop Robert Brennan.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn confirmed that Father Gigantiello had been removed from “any pastoral oversight or governance role” in his church. According to the release, Frank Carone's law firm repaid $1 million of the funds, with approximately 9 percent interest. Now, Father Witold Mroziewski has “complete authority over the parish,” including liturgical matters, although Jamie Gigantiello can still celebrate Mass with his approval, said diocese spokesperson Adriana Rodriguez.
An “error of judgment”
The controversy broke out in November 2023 after the release of the “Feather” clip, published on October 31. In the video, which features men abusing the singer before suffering a gruesome death, Sabrina Carpenter pulls up to the distinctive brick church in a pink hearse, dances in front of the church's ornate altar, wearing a short dress black veil and a black veil next to a colorful set of false coffins.
These images were considered inappropriate, and the diocese declared itself “dismayed”, criticizing the non-compliance with filming procedures. In a letter to parishioners last November, Jamie Gigantiello said approving the filming was an “error of judgment,” saying he was not on site and unaware of the provocative nature of the scenes.
For her part, Sabrina Carpenter returned to the affair with irony during a concert at Madison Square Garden last September, shortly after the indictment of Eric Adams, a first for a mayor in office in New York. “Damn, what now? Should we talk about how I got the mayor indicted?” she said, drawing laughter from the crowd.
