A group of nuns in suburban Chicago filed a lawsuit against a strip club that was operating nextdoor to their place of worship.

The Missionary Sisters of St. Charles Borromeo sued Club Allure, as they are disturbed by their loud music while they are worshipping. Furthermore, the club violates one of the zoning laws in Illinois, which states that adult entertainment facilities should be at least 1,000 feet away from places of worship.

Club Allure is right next to the garden in the nuns’ backyard. The nuns claim that they have witnessed “public violence, drunkenness and litter, including empty whiskey and beer bottles, discarded contraceptive packages and products, and even used condoms.” In addition, the lawsuit says that the nuns are disturbed by the strobe lights, flashing neon lights, and the loud music from the club.

A lawyer for the strip club said that Club Allure is not going anywhere.

Sister Noemia Silva said, “Our sisters’ sacred space has been invaded. At night now they hear the music when they’re praying. That’s uncalled for.”

Dean Krone, an attorney for the village of Stone Park, said that the law is unconstitutional, since it is too broad. The law would mean that adult entertainment clubs cannot be put up anywhere in the village. However, under the 1^st Amendment guaranteeing freedom of expression, the courts said that municipalities are not allowed to put blanket bans on strip clubs.

In 2009, board members of Stone Park denied a strip club to operate in the area. However, the strip club owners sued and the village settled by allowing them to operate.

The group of nuns is planning to hold a meeting with their lawyers in order to discuss the lawsuit.

Robert Itzkow, the club’s manager, said “We spend an awful lot of money to make sure that this kind of thing would not occur. The whole thing is just a question of ‘We don’t like you; you don’t conform to our religious beliefs.”

Image via NDN video