'It goes against our canonical vows': Elderly nuns step up their battle against Katy Perry in singer's bid to buy their convent

  • Perry offered $14.5million cash to Los Angeles Archbishop Jose Gomez for the Los Feliz, California villa 
  • Sister Catherine Rose Holzman and Sister Rita Callanan already sold the property to local restaurateur Dana Hollister for $15.5million
  • Gomez received signed papers from three of the five Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and said he had the right to sell the property 
  • Sisters Rita and Catherine Rose said one of the nuns appeared 'woozy' and 'under the influence of morphine' when the church asked for her support
  • Perry tried to win the sisters over in May when she went there for a visit and performed 'Oh Happy Day'

By Anneta Konstantinides and Chris Spargo For Dailymail.com

Published: 14:05 EST, 20 July 2015 | Updated: 16:44 EST, 20 July 2015

Two nuns have stepped up their battle against Katy Perry's bid to buy their Los Angeles convent. 

Sister Catherine Rose Holzman, 86, and Sister Rita Callanan, 77, believe that selling the pop superstar their order's convent would be in violation of their canonical vows to the Catholic Church.

Perry was in the midst of a deal to obtain the Los Feliz property from Los Angeles Archbishop Jose Gomez when the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary said they had already accepted an offer from a restaurateur.

The Los Angeles Archdiocese is arguing that the church has legal authority over the property and that the nuns were not authorized to sell it.

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Two nuns are trying to halt Katy Perry's bid to buy their Los Feliz, California convent, saying it would be in violation of their canonical vows to the Catholic Church to sell it to her 

Perry was in the midst of a deal to obtain the Los Feliz property from Los Angeles Archbishop Jose Gomez when Sister Rita Callanan (right) and Sister Catherine Rose Holzman (left) said they had already accepted an offer from a restaurateur

Perry was in the midst of a deal to obtain the Los Feliz property from Los Angeles Archbishop Jose Gomez when Sister Rita Callanan (right) and Sister Catherine Rose Holzman (left) said they had already accepted an offer from a restaurateur

The dispute is now making its way to the court room after the archbishop filed a case against Dana Hollister, who the nuns sold the property to for $15.5m last month. 

Perry has offered the archbishop $14.5m in cash for the villa, whereas Hollister has already paid the nuns $100,000 in cash for the deed and plans to make $300,000 annually accruing interest payments starting in 2018, according to the New York Times. 

Hollister has said she would honor oral commitments to begin paying sooner in the deal, which the nuns have said will the sisters to control the proceeds and provide more money for their retirement care.

The nuns first learned that archbishop planned on selling the convent to a woman named Katherine Hudson in September 2014. 

They soon found out that woman was better known by the name Katy Perry. 

Perry met with the sisters  at the property in May, dressing conservatively and giving an impromptu performance of the gospel hymn 'Oh Happy Day.' 

Perry has offered $14.5million cash for the property (pictured) to Archbishop Jose Gomez when the sisters said they had already sold it to restaurateur Dana Hollister for $1million more

Perry has offered $14.5million cash for the property (pictured) to Archbishop Jose Gomez when the sisters said they had already sold it to restaurateur Dana Hollister for $1million more

The Los Angeles Archdiocese is arguing that the church has legal authority over the property and that the nuns were not authorized to sell it 

The Los Angeles Archdiocese is arguing that the church has legal authority over the property and that the nuns were not authorized to sell it 

She also revealed that 'she wanted to live on the property with her mother and grandmother, sit in the meditation garden, sip green tea and find herself.' 

But some of the nuns then watched Perry's music videos as well as her Super Bowl half-time show, according to the Los Angeles Times. 

They objected to giving the singer the convent 'for what should be obvious reasons coming from Catholic nuns', their attorneys later wrote.

The sisters added that they purchased the convent, where the five sisters no longer live, decades ago and thus should have the right to sell it over the archbishop. 

And they are now disputing the means by which Gomez received signed papers from three of the five sisters, giving him the power to decide who gets the property. 

Sister Jean-Marie Dunne, 88, Sister Marie Victoriano, 88, and Sister Marie Christine Munoz Lopez, 82, have filed declarations in support of Gomez. 

The nuns first learned that archbishop planned on selling the convent to a woman named Katherine Hudson in September 2014. They soon found out that woman was better known by the name Katy Perry

The nuns first learned that archbishop planned on selling the convent to a woman named Katherine Hudson in September 2014. They soon found out that woman was better known by the name Katy Perry

Perry told the nuns during a visit in May that 'she wanted to live on the property with her mother and grandmother, sit in the meditation garden, sip green tea and find herself'

Perry told the nuns during a visit in May that 'she wanted to live on the property with her mother and grandmother, sit in the meditation garden, sip green tea and find herself'

But Sister Catherine Rose and Sister Rita claim Sister Jean-Marie had opposed the sale both before and after she signed her statement. 

And, they claim, Sister Marie Christine seemed 'woozy' and appeared to be under the influence of morphine around the time she was asked by church officials to declare her support. 

Sister Marie Victoriano made her support firm, writing in an email to the New York Times on Sunday that she had 'great confidence' in Gomez's decision and had 'no concern whatsoever'. 

Gomez said in a statement that he was committed to the nuns care and that the archdiocese would 'ensure their well-being now and in the future'. 

Meanwhile Sister Rita and Sister Catherine Rose seem more than ready to fight, or roar - as Perry would say. 

'Though we sisters have aged, diminished in number and are not physically healthy as we once were,' wrote Sister Rita in her declaration. 

'We remain self-sufficient and we have continued to govern our affairs.'    

Sister Jean-Marie Dunne, 88, Sister Marie Victoriano, 88, and Sister Marie Christine Munoz Lopez, 82, have filed declarations in support of Gomez 

Sister Jean-Marie Dunne, 88, Sister Marie Victoriano, 88, and Sister Marie Christine Munoz Lopez, 82, have filed declarations in support of Gomez 

But Sister Catherine Rose and Sister Rita claim Sister Marie Christine seemed 'woozy' and appeared to be under the influence of morphine around the time she was asked by church officials to declare her support

But Sister Catherine Rose and Sister Rita claim Sister Marie Christine seemed 'woozy' and appeared to be under the influence of morphine around the time she was asked by church officials to declare her support


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