The convent in question was built in 1927 and belonged to Entrepreneur Earle Anthony and subsequently Sir Daniel Donohue and his wife Countess Bernadine Murphy Donohue. The couple sold the property for a paltry sum that was almost a gift to the nuns who raised approximate $600,938 in 3 years and paid off the amount. Below is a photo of Sister Rita on the left and Sister Catherine Rose on the right.
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Sister Callanan said 'All we are asking is to sell our own property, keep our own money so we can take care of ourselves until the last person dies, then the money and property can go to the archbishop. There are not many more years, give me a break. He's supposed to be a chief shepherd.”
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The Archbishop claimed that Rome gave him permission to take over the convent in 2005 but when Sister Callanan researched along with research from Rome, she found that Rome had given no such permission. It was a friend of the Archbishop who issued him a letter of authority.
This is when the Archbishop started sending the sisters to retirement homes after sealing their bank accounts.
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Sister Callanan now stays in a small convent which is part of St Bernadette Catholic Church in Los Angeles. Although she says that the Archdiocese pays her rent and household bills, they have reduced her stipend to just $750 per month. Her health bills are never paid on time where Sister Catherine Holzman who died in the courthouse also had unpaid medical bills of $700.
'He is claiming he's taking care of us, that's not true. We send bills up there and they don't get paid. I was yelling and reporting it to Rome; they have now sent a check so I have money for groceries. Everything they don't pay for us, it goes right to the Pope. The Vatican is well aware of what this man is doing.”
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As for the Archbishop, he denies all such allegations saying that the sisters are taken duly care of. Sister Callanan says there are other sisters with money who can help but will not for fear of the same thing happening to them and their money taken away.
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