OREGON'S LGBTO NEWSMAGAZINE
AUGUST 5. 2011
1 5 _J 0
Welcome to the Jungle
The “Nuns ‘N Roses” Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence
International Conclave invades PDX
BY RYAN J. PRADO
Brace yourself for 100 Sisters, representing 22
autonomous. Because we do things differently,
others [that] were in really serious financial
missions and houses in 3 different countries,
when W e get together and talk about how we
trouble,” M oore explains. “W e were really aware
to descend into the Rose City, not-quite-fly
do stuff, it’s always a learning opportunity.”
that there was a need for fundraising. N othing
ing-nun style, for the Sisters’ International
Conclave, August 15-21.
Dubbed Nuns ‘N Roses for the Portland in
The Portland house o f the Sisters o f Perpetual
against C A P or O ur House, but they were get-
Indulgence began its journey seven years ago,
ting the lion’s share o f the money from the
just before Portland Pride 2005. M oore and
community. The smaller organizations really
W as it really six years ago that the tour de
stallment, the Sisters’ Conclave gatherings are
some
friends
attended
a
force known as the Sisters o f Perpetual Indul
an annual meeting o f Sisters o f fully professed
bingo fundraiser event for
gence infiltrated Portlands L G B T Q _ scene?
houses or missions— would-be houses getting
Can you fathom a time when the Entertain
their footing in the Sisters’ world. The events
'he Oregon Bears hosted by
the Seattle house o f Sisters,
needed some help.”
Brace yourself for 100
S js t e r s representing 22
A fte r organizing first as
a mission, a soon fully pro
fessed
Portland
house
ment District, or O ld Tow n or Stark Street
are an opportunity not just to socialize, but to
and agreed that a Portland
missions and houses in
saloons were not teem ing with white-faced,
gain knowledge and understanding about the
contingent
3 different countries, to
aim o f helping raise money
habit-bedecked nuns with safe-sex kits and
ongoing issues encountered by each Sisters’
Given the Sisters’ ethos o f
descend info the Rose City
for other charitable organi
bags o f condoms? W ell, fathom it: This sum
house. A s Portland house co-founder Sister
fundraising for smaller orga
could
flourish.
zations, conducting safer-
mer marks the sixth anniversary o f the incor
M ona L ittle-M oore explains, each microcosm
nizations, along with L G -
for the Sisters’ International
poration o f the Portland Sisters o f Perpetual
is different, and Conclave is about recognizing
BTQadvocacy, safe-sex edu
Conclave, August 15-21.
Indulgence, The O rder o f Benevolent Bliss,
and learning from diversity.
cation
and
launched with a three-part
one-on-one
sex education— by way o f
condom
or
outs— and
other
hand
community
“ W e each gear our ministry to what our
ministering, M oore saw the need and the op-
outreach. M o st in the larger public sphere
community needs,” M o o re explains. “ W h a t
portunity to begin something new in the
have seen the Sisters during their regular bar
A n d what would this observance be i f not
Portland needs is not necessarily what [L o s
region.
crawls in downtown Portland. Between the
an opportune time to show the rest o f the or
Angeles] needs, or what L .A . needs may not
“A t that time, there were three AID S-related
der just how things work here in Portland?
be what Nashville needs. So each house is
organizations that had gone under, and several
Inc. as a fully professed house o f the Sisters’
worldwide order.
elaborate
nun-inspired
costumes— donned
not in mockery but to honor as “nuns o f the
h
4
get him on
the line
FREE TRIAL
.416.7097
More local numbers: 1.800.777.8000
sV f g ®
in te r a c tiv e m a le
■
18+ w w w .in te r a c tiv e m a le .c o m
*• r r r V
jq y
www.GuySpycom
A « « i- a b l#
■J A p p
on
g y y j^ p y j Q g q y
fh »
A h o ra en Español
w ww GuySpy coin
A » . f c * cm (fw-
S to re
* ^ ^ A r K lr o t d M jfh r t
sole august 12-14^
7 09 S E 1 2 2N D A V E .
P O R T L A N D OR. 9 7 2 3 3
5 03.257.861 7
300 suu I2th oue
503 224 2604
sportocusteoLhers com
O IM N /4 M H !)
/ M A Y S A KYI I K 1
W U IV ■ M W / ' I
I Y » ÍJ . t ; i I M
2 0 0 2 5 S W T V. MWY
A LO H A, OR. 9700b
. 5 0 3 .3 5 6 .5 6 2 4