They have effectively succeeded—on their 20th anniversary—in putting a spotlight on the outrage that has seethed against them throughout the Catholic hierarchy. The irate clergy have finally admitted, say residents, what's generally been taken for granted here, namely that the Sisters' nun-parodies have always sorely rattled them. Such rattles have been heard elsewhere too.

In two recent incidents, one in Australia, the Sisters, composed of gay males, lesbians, bisexuals and the transgendered, have been at the centers of national and international controversies. Republicans in the U.S. Congress harped late last year on a film that purportedly showed President Clinton's openly-gay ambassadorial candidate, James Hormel, smiling as the Sisters' street act passed his way.

That Mr. Hormel appeared to consider these nun-imposters funny was the singular argument used to deny him an opportunity to assume an ambassadorial post. His mere smile was attacked by Republican strategists as a demonstration of the contempt in which the Clinton appointee held the Roman Catholic Church.

Prior to February's Mardi Gras, Sydney's Opera House cancelled its arrangements for the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence to lead tours there. The Roman Catholic Church had expressed its outrage at the announcement and the Opera House had felt compelled to act.

At the time, a spokesperson for the Sisters said that their main tenet is "to promote joy" and to "expiate stigmatic guilt."

"We don't set out to vilify Roman Catholic nuns," the Sisters insisted.

The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence have raised funds for many worthy causes, especially the sick, youth and the homeless and are known to others for having served The City as its unofficial Mistresses of Ceremonies. The festive, iconoclastic airs they've lent to public occasions have long been a vital part of San Francisco gay, lesbian and transgender culture and community life.

Supervisor Mark Leno explains the Sisters by saying: "The truth is, the group is a volunteer organization, which has the mission of doing good deeds truly, though obviously with some humor, in the spirit of those in the religious order… I can feel comfortable about my vote, because they do good work and offer no disrespect.'"

What has brought out the combative instincts of the priests in black has been a decision by the city's Board of Supervisors granting the Sisters—on Easter Sunday-- the right to celebrate their 20th Anniversary in the Castro between 17th and 18th streets. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese charges that permitting the Sisters to do so makes a mockery of the Catholic Church, especially since the Sisters' 20th Anniversary Party is being held on the holiest day in the Christian calendar.

A spokesperson for the archdiocese compared approving the street's closing to "allowing a group of Neo-Nazis to close a city street for a celebration on the Jewish Feast of Passover."

Catholic San Francisco, the archdiocese's official newspaper, said in an editorial last week that the city's Supervisors, by granting permission to the Sisters had exhibited ``extraordinary insensitivity to people of all faiths."

The Catholic San Francisco editorial also contended that the Sisters have "garnered a reputation for outrageous behavior by mocking religious life, ridicule of Catholic institutions and profane references to sacred liturgies.''

There will be a stage show on Easter Sunday when the Sisters celebrate as planned. People will dance to bands and a 1981 safe sex pamphlet the theatrical troupe published then will be released once again. The main goal of the celebration, according to the Sisters, will be education. "There will be no pagan rituals."