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26th Jul 2015
How we love the bizarre world of celebrity. It seems if you’re a mega-successful pop star, you can have just about anything your heart desires, except if this includes a convent. Singer Katy Perry has got caught in the crossfire as she attempts to purchase land, which contains a convent, and turn it into a home.
The luxurious hillside Italianate complex valued at $15 million is situated near the Los Angeles neighbourhood of Silver Lake, and Perry has her heart set on it. Though Perry was initially given the go-ahead to purchase the land by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles, two nuns have objected to what they feel is clearly an unholy union.
The two sisters have now challenged the authority of the archdiocese to sell the property to another party, despite claims that he owns it and can legally sell it to Perry if he so wishes.
“In selling to Katy Perry, we feel we are being forced to violate our canonical vows to the Catholic Church,? Sister Catherine Rose Holzman wrote to the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in a letter. According to the New York Times, Perry has been competing with L.A. restaurateur and developer Dana Hollister for the property, which also includes a retreat house for priests.
Perry is reportedly offering a $10 million all-cash deal, with an additional $4.5 million to purchase a new retreat house for priests to replace the current one.
The nuns say the have ?no moral objection? to Perry purchasing the property, but reportedly favour the Hollister deal because this would keep the convent open to the public.
Even Perry’s singing talents didn’t sway the nuns. At the request of the archbishop, Perry met with the few remaining nuns (remember, Perry is the daughter of Evangelical Christian preachers). She even showed them one of her tattoos (though we’re not sure if that was the best idea), and serenaded them with the gospel song ?Oh Happy Day.? But still no joy. Ultimately, three of the nuns said they would support the sale to Perry, but Sister Rita and Sister Catherine Rose, as officers of the order, instead were said to have entered a deal with Ms. Hollister.
There is said to be a court hearing in the coming days to try to resolve the matter.