A Los Angeles judge said Thursday that he believes a group of elderly nuns improperly sold a hilltop convent to an entrepreneur but delayed any efforts by church officials to finalize a competing sale to pop singer Katy Perry. Thursday’s ruling by Superior Court Judge James Chalfant will tie up the once-lavish estate in months of litigation. While the judge preliminarily ruled that Dana Hollister’s purchase of the convent is invalid, he ordered her to pay $25,000 a month to support the nuns and denied representatives for Los Angeles’ Catholic archbishop or Perry access to the convent during the dispute. Hollister has plans to turn the convent into a boutique hotel and restaurant, while Perry would transform it into a private home. The Roman villa-style convent sits on 8 acres atop a hill in the Los Feliz neighborhood near Hollywood. The order of nuns that has owned the property for more than 40 years hastily sold it to Hollister in June, bypassing approval from Los Angeles’ archbishop. Archbishop Jose Gomez wants to sell the convent to Perry, but the sale cannot go forward because Hollister has already registered a deed for the property. Chalfant said it will take months, if not years, to resolve the dispute between the Sisters of the Most Holy and Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the archbishop. The “Roar” singer has agreed to pay $14.5 million for the convent and to relocate an adjoining house of prayer used by priests. Hollister has agreed to pay $15.5 million, with $5.5 million dedicated to relocating the prayer house.
Standing in front of artwork depicting Manhattan as a yellow submarine and John Lennon as the pilot displaying the peace sign, Yoko Ono joined Bono and other guests to honor her late husband Wednesday. Ono said the tapestry at Ellis Island is “so special” and that the Beatles band member would have loved it. Lennon appears on the artwork commissioned by Art for Amnesty founder Bill Shipsey to thank Ono on behalf of human-rights group Amnesty International. The organization raised more than $5 million in royalties from covers of Lennon’s music since 2004. The artwork showing Manhattan as a yellow submarine in a sea of blue is on display at the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration. New-York based Czech artist Peter Sis designed the piece.