Katy Perry plans to buy former convent scuppered by nuns

Katy Perry's plans to buy a former convent in Los Angeles are being held up by a group of nuns.

The sisters, who used to live on the site in the San Gabriel Mountains, say they've already sold it to a local restaurateur, Dana Hollister.

But the local archbishop says the convent isn't theirs to sell and has started legal action to stop it.

Perry, the daughter of two Pentecostal preachers, reportedly met with the nuns in May to plead her case.

"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," Sister Rita Callanan told the Los Angeles Times.

Perry's tracks include songs such as I Kissed A Girl, Ur So Gay and By the Grace of God.

According to paper, the singer "dressed conservatively" and sang gospel hymn Oh Happy Day for them as well as showing them a Jesus tattoo on her wrist.

She apparently told them that she wanted to live at the Convent of the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary with her mum and grandmother to "find herself".

But after carrying out some research about her on the internet, they weren't pleased with the results.

"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," Sister Rita Callanan told the newspaper.

Perry's tracks include songs such as I Kissed A Girl, Ur So Gay and By the Grace of God.

Sister Callanan, a member of the Catholic Sisters of the Most Holy and Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary, said that 52 sisters used to live at the property.

But the local church diocese moved the five remaining sisters to other locations in 2011 against their will, according to the nun.

She said: "We have given many years to this archdiocese and we have served them well.

"For the archdiocese to... put us under a bus and run over us, I'm sorry, it was just too much for me.

The archdiocese (the district under an archbishop's jurisdiction) is suing to stop the sale, describing it as an "unauthorised action".

In a court papers filed on 19 June, the archdiocese said it was selling the convent and plans a $14.5m (£9.2m) cash deal with another buyer.

The papers claim the Immaculate Heart of Mary Institute ultimately falls under the Pope's jurisdiction.

Archbishop of Los Angeles Jose Gomez argues the nuns had no right to make the deal and claims to have papers signed by three of the five remaining sisters giving him the power to sell the property on their behalf.

Sister Rita, 77, claims her fellow nuns signed the documents under duress.

Sister Catherine, who acts as the order's chief financial officer, told ABC7 news: "We have control of our property, it's ours. The archdiocese is not taking care of us, we've been taking care of ourselves."

Ms Hollister's lawyer, Randy Snyder, says the dispute has nothing to do with Katy Perry and is a battle between the diocese and the nuns.

The restaurateur wants to turn the site, which has been empty for four years, into a boutique hotel.

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