Katy Perry’s Convent

Superstar singer Katy Perry has a rocky relationship with religion. The songstress found fame through edgy songs such as “I Kissed a Girl,” but her beginnings can be found in religious hymns. Maybe that explains why she wants to buy a convent in Los Angeles.

The daughter of two born-again Christians, Perry grew up singing the Lord’s praises. Her first, self-titled album (released under the name Katy Hudson) featuring the song below, “Faith Won’t Fail,” included family-friendly religious tunes. However, since her 180 turn into kissing girls and tasting stardom, Perry’s parents have had strong words for their daughter.

Both parents travel the country preaching and often mention their daughter’s behavior and song material. Keith Hudson, her father, said in a sermon that Perry was a “devil child” and seemed to disapprove of her massive success. “I was at a concert of Katy’s where there were 20,000 [people]. I’m watching this generation and they were going at it. It almost looked like church,” he told The Christian Post in 2015. “I stood there and wept and kept on weeping and weeping. They’re loving and worshiping the wrong thing.”

Perry has insisted her relationship with her parents is good, but “could be better,” according to Elle magazine. Still, her parents continue to vocalize their disapproval of their daughter’s songs and choice of onstage clothing.

In Charisma magazine, Mary Hudson (Perry’s mother), talked about wayward children moving away from faith, saying, “Satan’s assault on our youth is relentless, and they can’t fight against it alone. Parents have to walk in their God-given authority — children can’t be left to raise themselves.”

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Perry has even managed to find controversy with the faithful beyond her parents. She recently began a purchase of a former convent in the Los Feliz neighborhood in Los Angeles. The convent is the former home to five nuns, members of the Sisters of the Most Holy and Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The eight-acre property overlooks downtown Los Angeles. Perry’s bid for the property was $14.5 million, but there was also a higher bid for $15.5 million from an entrepreneur named Dana Hollister, looking to convert the convent into a hotel.

Controversy has erupted about who truly owns the property. Two of the former resident nuns, who are in their 70s and 80s, claim they own the property and want to sell to the higher bidder. However, Los Angeles Archbishop Jose H. Gomez claimed the sisters did not own the property and had no right to sell.

The archdiocese of Los Angeles claimed proper ownership of the convent and wanted to sell to Perry. However, the disagreement led to a civil action between the archdiocese and the sisters, which was only recently resolved. A judge ruled in favor of the sale to Perry.

About the court action, the archdiocese said in a statement, “Unfortunately, the Archdiocese had to take civil action to protect against the unauthorized action by Ms. Hollister, which was undertaken after the preferred transaction had been accepted in consultation with the sisters.”

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The sisters still plan on appealing, and it appears their objections to Perry owning the property have to do with more than just money. Sister Rita Callana spoke with the Los Angeles Times about the potential new owner of her former convent home.

“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…I thought, is that a way to make money?” It seems Perry’s songs and fame are not just out of favor with her parents’ values.

Through the court proceedings, Perry has not been able to finalize her deal, nor has she been able to enter the convent. She will also not officially own the convent until the sale is approved by the Vatican, according to The Associated Press.

Whatever the details of Perry’s recent real estate debacle, it only further complicates her public relationship with organized religion. Privately, however, Perry says she still has a relationship with the Lord. “I still feel like I have a deep connection with God,” she said in an interview with Marieclaire.com. “I pray all the time.”

Perry’s plans for the convent even seem more spiritual than the proposed building of a hotel, though they also suggest someone still struggling with their religion. According to The Daily Caller, Perry plans on having the convent be a place where she can live “with her mother and grandmother, sit in the meditation garden, sip green tea, and find herself.”