Priest who allowed Sabrina Carpenter video shoot stripped of duties

The leader of a New York City church where pop star Sabrina Carpenter filmed “provocative” scenes for a music video has been stripped of his duties after church officials said an investigation revealed other instances of mismanagement.

Monsignor Jamie Gigantiello was relieved of “any pastoral oversight or governance role” at his church located in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn, Bishop Robert Brennan said in a statement issued by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn.

An investigation launched after Carpenter’s video revealed that Gigantiello made unauthorized financial transfers to a former top aide in New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ administration, which is being investigated on charges of corruption, Brennan said.

“I am saddened to share that investigations conducted by Alvarez & Marsal and Sullivan & Cromwell LLP have uncovered evidence of serious violations of Diocesan policies and protocols at Our Lady of Mount Carmel – Annunciation Parish,” the bishop said. “In order to safeguard the public trust, and to protect church funds, I have appointed Bishop Witold Mroziewski as administrator of the Parish.” 

Gigantiello’s administrative powers were taken away after Carpenter’s video for her hit song ‘Feather’ sparked criticism last November.

Released on 31 October 2023, Sabrina Carpenter’s ‘Feather’ music video revolves around men behaving badly toward Carpenter before meeting grisly deaths. At points in the video, Carpenter is seen pulling up to the distinctive brick church in a pink hearse and then dancing in front of the church’s ornate altar wearing a short black dress and a black veil alongside a colorful array of coffins.

The diocese said it was “appalled” and that proper procedures for filming had not been followed. 

In a letter to parishioners last November, Gigantiello said approving the filming was a “lapse in judgment” and maintained he wasn’t present at the time and didn’t realize how provocative the shoot would be.

This week, Brennan said a broader review uncovered other instances of administrative impropriety. Among them is an ongoing investigation into Gigantiello’s use of a church credit card for “substantial” personal expenses, he said.

From 2019 to 2021, the monsignor also transferred $1.9 million in parish funds to bank accounts affiliated with Frank Carone, Adams’ former chief of staff, Brennan said.

Gigantiello has now also been cut from his pastoral duties, giving Mroziewski “complete authority over the parish,” including on liturgical matters, though Gigantiello will still be able to say Mass with Mroziewski’s approval, said diocese spokesperson Adriana Rodriguez.

Meanwhile, the commotion set off by her music video hasn’t been lost on Carpenter. She made light of it during a concert at Madison Square Garden in late September, just days after Adams became the first New York City mayor indicted while in office.

“Damn, what now?” she said to the Manhattan crowd. “Should we talk about how I got the mayor indicted?”