Chappetto, a now-retired auxiliary bishop who was vicar general of the Brooklyn diocese, was accused in 2021 of administrative negligence, namely failing to disclose appropriately that a Brooklyn priest was prohibited from contact with minors, and thus potentially putting minors at risk.

But in a statement sent to The Pillar Thursday, the diocese said it had been informed by apostolic nuncio Cardinal Christophe Pierre that "upon examination of the Vos estis investigation report in a complaint against Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus Raymond F. Chappetto, the Dicastery for Bishops has concluded the allegations ‘are manifestly unfounded, and the case has been closed.'"

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Monsignor Jamie Gigantiello, the pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel-Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Diocese of Brooklyn, said in the letter that the $5,000 paid to the church for the filming of the video will be donated to Bridge to Life, a pro-life pregnancy centre in College Point, New York, "so that from this negative event can come the promotion of life."

The Oct 31 video "Feather," which has amassed over 5 million views on YouTube, shows pop star Sabrina Carpenter dancing provocatively on the altar of the historic 19th-century Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church.

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Rogelio Vega, 52, was sentenced on March 15, two years after he was arrested in an NYPD sting operation using Grindr.

Vega, who previously served in the Brooklyn diocese's parish of St Sebastian, Woodside, pled guilty last September to three counts of "enticing a minor" to engage in sexual acts with him.

Reading the sentence in Brooklyn Federal Court on Wednesday, the judge noted the "especially complex" nature of the case. However, he said that deterring the sexual exploitation of minors is "one of the most important, most essential tasks of the criminal justice system."

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