Earlier this month, the Dioceses of Brooklyn disciplined Msgr. Jamie J. Gigantiello, the pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel-Annunciation in Williamsburg, after he approved the filming of scenes from a controversial music video on church property. As the Catholic News Agency reported on November 4, Msgr. Gigantiello was relieved of his administrative oversight of the parish following the release of the visuals for Sabrina Carpenter’s “Feather” video, in which the pop singer dances “provocatively” at the altar “with no pants,” surrounded by “profane decorations.” The New York Times covered the news further this past Saturday (November 25).
The Mia Barnes-directed “Feather” video (embedded above), which arrived on Halloween, sets a song about relieving oneself of the burden of past loves to scenes in which Carpenter’s would-be suitors meet violent ends. Carpenter maintains an aloof distance through it all, with the spectacle culminating in the aforementioned tongue-in-cheek funeral scene. The video has been viewed nearly 11.5 million times on YouTube.
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In their statement to the CNA, the Diocese wrote that Brooklyn’s bishop, Robert Brennan, was “appalled at what was filmed at Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church in Brooklyn,” adding that the parish had not followed “diocesan policy regarding the filming on Church property, which includes a review of the scenes and script.” The Diocese declined to comment further on the matter when reached by The FADER.
Following Msgr. Gigantiello’s punishment, the pastor apologized to his parishioners in a statement posted to the church’s Facebook page, admitting that he had given Barnes’ crew permission to film at the church in an “effort to further strengthen the bonds between the young creative artists who make up a large part of this community” but asserting that the video’s final edit was not what Barnes had initially presented to him.
The FADER has reached out to Barnes, Carpenter, and Our Lady of Mount Carmel for further comment.
Folliowing the release of the “Feather” video, Sabrina Carpenter shared a holiday EP titled fruitcake on November 17. The former Girl Meets World star dropped her fifth studio album, emails i can’t send fwd:, in March.