Pop star Katy Perry’s fight to buy a Roman Catholic convent overlooking Los Angeles took a step forward Wednesday when a judge ruled the nuns’ sale of the property to a Los Angeles businesswoman was void.
Perry’s $14.5 million bid to buy the property has the approval of Los Angeles' archbishop but would have to be approved by the Vatican,
The Associated Press reported.
Some members of Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary had argued that they were the rightful owners of the villa and sold it to local restaurateur Dana Hollister and her family for $15.5 million. But the Los Angeles archdiocese also claimed ownership and agreed to sell the property to Perry.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Stephanie Bowick sided with the archdiocese in voiding the sale to Hollister, rescinding a deed on the property recorded by the businesswoman, who planned to turn it into a boutique hotel, the AP said.
The archdiocese said in a statement that it was gratified by the decision and would continue to care for the nuns, all in their 70s and 80s, who once lived in the convent,
Reuters reported.
"The Archdiocese was forced to take legal action to protect all the five sisters from being taken advantage of by the Dana Hollister transaction," the statement said.
John Scholnick, an attorney representing the two nuns, told
The Los Angeles Times that he is considering an appeal.
“As far as I’m concerned, it’s still game on” Scholnick told the newspaper.
The nuns met with Perry last year in an attempt to reach an agreement. Perry, who told them she wanted to live on the property with her mother and grandmother, reportedly made a fairly good impression, but the nuns weren’t swayed.
"Well, I found Katy Perry and I found her videos and ... if it's all right to say, I wasn't happy with any of it," said Sister Rita Callanan told the Times.
Katy Perry, whose parents Keith and Mary Hudson are evangelical pastors, has had a long battle with Christianity, according to
The Daily Beast. Despite having been called a “devil child” by her father and saying she didn’t have a childhood because of her parents ideologies, the pop star says she has a great relationship with her parents.
The 31-year-old singer has said she believes in God but doesn’t identify as a Christian.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.