Katy Perry emerged as the victor in her battle with the Los Angeles' Sisters of The Most Holy and Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary. On Wednesday, a judge voids the sale of the property to a restaurateur by the nuns.
The singer bought the property some time last year from Archbishop Jose Gomez. The nuns took exception because for them a sale to Perry will mean more benefits to the archdiocese more than their order. She had been disputing the convent with the nuns who entertained their own offer with restaurateur Dana Hollister.
The matter was brought to the court where even two of the nuns debated over their rights with the convent. However, the judge ruled in favor of the singer, permitting her to set up her home in the Roman villa-style building, as reported by Newswire.
The nuns all of which are in their late 70's and 80's once made the convent their home and two of them wanted to sell it. But the archdiocese filed a case against them last June stating that the two nuns have no authority to sell the property to Hollister.
According to the Huffpost Entertainment, the LA Superior Court Judge Stephanie Bowick favored the archdiocese's motion to obstruct the sale to Hollister, invalidating the purchase of the deed and documents. She stated that the nuns have no right to sell the property to others and even if they do have, the transaction was not properly validated.
"The Archdiocese was forced to take legal action to protect all the five sisters from being taken advantage of by the Dana Hollister transaction," it said, adding that it will continue to provide care for the nuns.
The controversial Roman villa-style edifice lies on 8 acres owned by the nuns for more than 40 years where the five remaining nuns tried to sell it to a restaurateur who wants to convert it into a boutique hotel. It was overruled as improper after the Archdiocese took action of the sale stating that they wanted, "to protect all the five sisters from being taken advantage of by the Dana Hollister transaction in which Hollister improperly took possession of their property for only $44,000 in cash and a contingent promissory note," reports Entrepreneur.
Katy Perry has acquired the property for $14.5 million and a relocation will be provided for the adjoining house used by the priests. The Los Angeles archbishop approved her bid and waits for the Vatican's approval.
