Sistory

The Sisters Exist as an Order of 21st Century Queer Nuns

Sistory

A long, long time ago, in 1976, far away in the land of Oz (Iowa), a convent of Roman Catholic nuns lent some retired habits to The Sugar Plum Fairies performing their version of The Sound of Music. One year later, one of our Founders Sister Vicious Power Hungry Bitch (Ken Bunch) moved to San Francisco (1977) and brought those habits to the streets of the Castro district.

On Easter Weekend, during the time of the "Castro Clone," being extremely bored with the conformist atmosphere three men went out into the streets to challenge the world: Ken Bunch (Sister Vicious PHB), Fred Brungard (Sister Missionary Position) and Baruch Golden. They went in full, traditional habits through the streets of our city and down to the nude beach. One even carried a machine gun (for protection). They were met with shock and amazement, but captured everyone's interest.

Their next appearance was at a softball game where their pompon routine all but stole the show. In the fall of 1979, Sister Hysterectoria (Edmund Garron) and Reverend Mother (Bill Graham) went to the first International Faerie gathering and encountered even more men with the calling. Our 4 Founders, Sister Vicious PHB, Reverend Mother, Missionary Position and Hysterectoria-Agnes convened their friends, chose our name (The Sisters Of Perpetual Indulgence) and composed our mission statement: "To promulgate universal joy and expiate stigmatic guilt."

In the fall of 1979, Sister Hysterectoria (Edmund Garron) and Reverend Mother (Bill Graham) went to the first International Faerie gathering and encountered even more men with the calling. Our 4 Founders, Sister Vicious PHB, Reverend Mother, Missionary Position and Hysterectoria-Agnes convened their friends, chose our name (The Sisters Of Perpetual Indulgence) and composed our mission statement: to promulgate universal joy and expiate stigmatic guilt.

The new year brought the new Order with Sister Hysterectoria designing the first habits after a Flemish 14th century ladies-in-waiting and French cloister's wimple, and through a city grant, commissioned the first set of habits and "Ear Brassieres." Sister Succuba, a calligrapher, created the logo and the original banner under which the Sisters made their first public appearance. During the Three Mile Island Protest in March, The Sisters performed their "Rosary in Time of Nuclear Peril," including the ever-popular pompon routine.

In the fall of 1979, Sister Hysterectoria (Edmund Garron) and Reverend Mother (Bill Graham) went to the first International Faerie gathering and encountered even more men with the calling. Our 4 Founders, Sister Vicious PHB, Reverend Mother, Missionary Position and Hysterectoria-Agnes convened their friends, chose our name (The Sisters Of Perpetual Indulgence) and composed our mission statement: to promulgate universal joy and expiate stigmatic guilt.

The new year brought the new Order with Sister Hysterectoria designing the first habits after a Flemish 14th century ladies-in-waiting and French cloister's wimple, and through a city grant, commissioned the first set of habits and "Ear Brassieres." Sister Succuba, a calligrapher, created the logo and the original banner under which the Sisters made their first public appearance. During the Three Mile Island Protest in March, The Sisters performed their "Rosary in Time of Nuclear Peril," including the ever-popular pompon routine.

Founded in 2010, the Vancouver Sisters continue to honour the ‘sistory’ of the world-wide Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence by working to improve the lives of those affected by HIV. Each year the Vancouver Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence honour Vancouver’s present-day reality through work to alleviate and end homelessness, to provide support to groups and projects that might otherwise go unacknowledged.

On August 4, 2012, after 2 1/2 years of finding glitter in all sorts of fun and unusual places, the Abbey of the Long Cedar Canoe became a Fully Professed House of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence -- the first in Canada in over 25 years.

We bring together a diverse community striving towards similar goals.We join with the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence around the world through our universal vows to promulgate universal joy, expiate stigmatic guilt and serve the community, our fellow Sisters and the Order of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. The Abbey of the Long Cedar Canoe Society is incorporated as a non-profit organization in British Columbia (Society No. S-57503) and is registered with the Canadian Revenue Agency as a charitable organization (Charitable Registration No. 83349 2804 R0001).

Most often the Sisters are seen out having a good time, looking fabulous and enjoying ourselves. However, what is not often seen is the great deal of work that each Sister does which is often associated with fundraising. Although we do a lot of fundraising, that is not our sole mission and our work spans a lot of other areas. In addition to fundraising, the work of a Sister also includes ministry, education and entertainment. We organize, plan and throw events, some of which are very large and complex.

The Sisters regularly visit local hospices, bringing joy to the people there. We also have some very intense one-on-one sessions with the people we meet while out. Ours is a "ministry of presence". The Sisters frequently act as educators, lecturing to classrooms of students and informing the cute boy at the bar about the risks of unsafe sex. And if you've ever been to one of our bingo games or any other event that is hosted by the Sisters, you have seen us in our role as MC and hostess.

Being a Sister requires many different skills and a great investment in time, energy and money.

Wimples of the World

The original three, in those "borrowed" habits.

A new era began in the Sistory of Sister Festivus Illuminata in February of 2020 as she laid down the official wimple of the Vancouver Sisters and retired from regular active Sister duties.

As Festivus takes her place as a Sister Emeritus, she embarks on the joyful act of presiding over weddings and accepting performance gigs.