Los Angeles - A story that Katy Perry is trying to buy a convent is tickling Hollywood. And that is only part of the story splashed in People magazine, Us Weekly and Los Angeles news outlets.

The singer is rich enough to plonk down US$14.5 million (S$19.5 million) for the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in the Los Feliz part of Los Angeles - she has just been named by Forbes magazine as the world's top-grossing musician, earning US$135 million in the year through June 1.

Two elderly nuns are, however, battling her to own the property, say reports.

In documents obtained by Us Weekly, Sister Rita Callanan, 77, and Sister Catherine Rose, 86, argue that they have the legal right to sell their former villa-style hilltop home overlooking downtown Los Angeles.

Two weeks ago, they sold it to local restaurateur Dana Hollister for US$15.5 million.

But the Los Angeles Archdiocese filed suit over a week ago to block the sale of the property, which is now used as a house of prayer for priests, reported local news website MyNewsLA.

It said the sale required its approval and that its lease of the buildings has 77 years left. Ms Hollister is considering turning the building into a boutique hotel.

On Monday, it said Perry, 30, is entitled to purchase the convent as she has offered a better deal to protect the nuns, MyNewsLA reported.

She has agreed to pay about US$14.5 million in cash for it, wrote Steve Lopez of the Los Angeles Times. Last week, a court order allowed her to visit the property with her architect.

She met the nuns in May and sang Oh, Happy Day for them and showed them a Jesus tattoo on her wrist area, wrote Lopez.

"I swear on the Bible," Lopez added about the case.

She also told them she wanted to live on the property with her mother and grandmother, sit in the meditation garden, sip green tea and find herself, he added.

The sisters, however, had to go on the Internet to find out who Perry was. "Well, I found Katy Perry and I found her videos...

"If it's alright to say, I wasn't happy with any of it," Sister Rita told the Times.