Sabrina Carpenter really went for it with the “Feather” video she released in October. The clip starts with Carpenter getting followed on the street by some creepy men, but they quickly meet a gruesome and sudden demise. Elsewhere in the video, Carpenter similarly tries to live her life unbothered, and the leering men around her also find themselves not doing too well when it comes to being alive.
Ultimately, the video ends with a black-clad Carpenter dancing around a church at an apparent joint funeral for the deceased dudes. This was all filmed at a real Catholic church, and now the priest who gave it the OK has landed in water that’s more hot than holy.
As Billboard reports, the final scene was filmed at Our Lady Of Mount Carmel-Annunciation Parish in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Msgr. Jamie J. Gigantiello, the priest who approved the filming, was later relieved of his administrative duties involving oversight of the church. Bishop Robert J. Brennan told the Catholic News Agency he is “appalled at what was filmed at Annunciation Of The Blessed Virgin Mary Church in Brooklyn. He added, “The parish did not follow diocesan policy regarding the filming on Church property, which includes a review of the scenes and script.”
In an apology letter shared on the parish’s Facebook page, Gigantiello told his side of the story, writing in part:
“The parish was approached in September by a locally based film crew, scouting a location for what was presented as a ‘production featuring Sabrina Carpenter.’ In an effort to further strengthen the bonds between the young creative artists who make up a large part of this community and the parish, I agreed to the filming after a general search of the artists involved did not reveal anything questionable. Please know that while I was not present for the filming, I did remove the Blessed Sacrament from the church earlier that day. The parish staff and I were not aware that anything provocative was occurring in the church nor were we aware that faux coffins and other funeral items would be placed in the sanctuary. Most of the video was supposed to be filmed outside, near the church, which it was.
While I take full responsibility for the erroneous decision to allow the filming, I want to assure you that I had no knowledge that such a scene would be filmed in our church which we worked so hard to restore to its present sacred beauty. I further affirm that a lapse in judgment such as this will never take place again as I fully devote my every action to preserving the sanctity of the parish and faith community with which I am entrusted, as I have done over my 7 years as pastor at Our Lady of Mount Carmel-Annunciation.”
Revisit the “Feather” video above.