By Jessica Easthope
Holy water used in the reconsecration of Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church in Williamsburg.
The house of worship was used as a location for a provocative music video by Sabrina Carpenter.
The video, released online last week, shows Carpenter scantily clad dancing around the altar which had sacrilegious props on it such as fake coffins, crosses and vessels with fake blood.
Bishop Robert Brennan celebrated a Mass of Reparation at the church in order to restore sanctity and repair the harm done on Saturday.
As a result, Monsignor Jamie Gigantiello, the pastor of our lady of mt carmel annunciation parish has been removed as the diocese of brooklyn’s vicar for development, a role in which he oversaw fundraising efforts for the Catholic Foundation for Brooklyn and Queens.
Msgr. Gigantiello will remain as the parish’s pastor, but Auxiliary Bishop Witold Mroziewski has taken over duties as administrator. at another mass at the parish on saturday monsignor Gigantiello read a letter to his parishioners saying in part:
“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 preserve the sanctity of the parish and faith community with which I am entrusted as I have done over my 7 years as pastor here at our lady of mount carmel-annunciation.”
Bishop Robert Brennan strongly condemned the filming of the music video and says a review of the documents presented to the parish prior to filming clearly portrays inappropriate behavior for a church.
The diocese is also conducting a further administrative review into the matter.
In light of the events, Msgr. Gigantiello said money the church received for the filming of the music video is being donated to the Bridge Women’s Support Center.
You can read more about this story online at THETABLET.Org.