# TV series about an urban Catholic Church **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 10, 2012, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-about-an-urban-catholic-church/609011 "2012-01-10T03:08:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![11811](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/9d8465/32.png) [@11811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/11811)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-about-an-urban-catholic-church/609011/1 "2012-01-10T03:08:25Z")
In the 90s there was a show on network tv about a Catholic church in an inner-city parish. It probably lasted 2 seasons. Any Dopers remember this one? There was an actress who played a nun, and she still shows up on tv playing a bitter self-righteous woman. I’m trying to find out the actress’ name. ---
**Author:** ![aktep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f0a364/32.png) [@aktep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aktep)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-about-an-urban-catholic-church/609011/2 "2012-01-10T03:13:36Z")
Nothing Sacred, [Ann Dowd](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0235652/) ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-about-an-urban-catholic-church/609011/3 "2012-01-10T03:13:54Z")
Tracy Nelson and Tom Bosley in [Father Dowling Mysteries.](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096582/) ETA: Or that other one. Never thought nuns were so interesting, though I knew one… ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-about-an-urban-catholic-church/609011/4 "2012-01-10T03:14:28Z")
Sister Kate, with Stephanie Beacham? ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-about-an-urban-catholic-church/609011/5 "2012-01-10T03:14:38Z")
> [@11811](#): > > In the 90s there was a show on network tv about a Catholic church in an inner-city parish. It probably lasted 2 seasons. Any Dopers remember this one? There was an actress who played a nun, and she still shows up on tv playing a bitter self-righteous woman. I’m trying to find out the actress’ name. Could it have been _[Sister Kate](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sister_Kate_%28TV_series%29)_? I vaguely remember that show, it was about a nun who ran an orphanage. Not exactly what you describe, but it ran for one season 1989-1990 so that sounds about right. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-about-an-urban-catholic-church/609011/6 "2012-01-10T03:45:30Z")
[Diary of a City Priest](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0208899/)? > [@](#): > > David Morse plays Father John McNamee, a catholic priest who accepts a position at an inner-city church. The film begins with Father McNamee as he starts his new job and follows the priest through his struggles in adapting to his new surroundings. Based on a true story. StG ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-about-an-urban-catholic-church/609011/7 "2012-01-10T03:49:04Z")
> [@11811](#): > > … an actress who played a nun, and she still shows up on tv playing a bitter self-righteous woman. Well, of _course_ she’s bitter. She got _fired_ from being a _nun_. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-about-an-urban-catholic-church/609011/8 "2012-01-10T03:50:37Z")
> [@digs](#): > > Well, of _course_ she’s bitter. She got _fired_ from being a _nun_. Meh. She’ll pass away soon, and then she’ll be a Nun of the Above. ---
**Author:** ![11811](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/9d8465/32.png) [@11811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/11811)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-about-an-urban-catholic-church/609011/9 "2012-01-10T14:46:03Z")
> [@digs](#): > > Well, of _course_ she’s bitter. She got _fired_ from being a _nun_. Made me LOL for reals.😃 I’m pretty sure Nothing Sacred and Ann Dowd are the answers I was looking for. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-about-an-urban-catholic-church/609011/10 "2012-01-10T17:50:39Z")
Don’t forget [In the Beginning](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077030/)with McLean Stevenson (in his long slide after M_A_S\*H) and Priscilla Lopez (between Broadway roles.) Hollywood just _loves_ stories about priests and nuns. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-about-an-urban-catholic-church/609011/11 "2012-01-10T18:45:53Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > Don’t forget [In the Beginning](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077030/)with McLean Stevenson (in his long slide after M_A_S\*H) and Priscilla Lopez (between Broadway roles.) > > Hollywood just _loves_ stories about priests and nuns. Reminds me of the runaway success of _Book of Daniel_ a few years ago. Although I think that was Episcopal priests, not Roman Catholic. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-about-an-urban-catholic-church/609011/12 "2012-01-11T22:45:11Z")
Probably not what you’re looking for, but just for fun I thought I’d remind everybody in here about Hell Town. Robert Blake was a ‘scrappy tough guy’ priest. His character’s name was Father Hardstep. The nun was Sister Indigo. Other nuns in the parish had names like Sister Daisy and Sister Angel Cakes, and they are overseen by Mother Margaret. > **[Hell Town (1985)](https://www.imdb.com/media/rm723288832/tt0088533)** > > "Hell Town" Isabel Grandin, Jeff Corey, Natalie Core, Robert Blake, Rhonda Dotson, Vonetta McGee, Whitman Mayo, Tony Longo 1985 NBC ---
**Author:** ![11811](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/9d8465/32.png) [@11811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/11811)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2012, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-about-an-urban-catholic-church/609011/13 "2012-01-12T00:27:03Z")
> [@Enright3](#): > > Probably not what you’re looking for, but just for fun I thought I’d remind everybody in here about Hell Town. Robert Blake was a ‘scrappy tough guy’ priest. His character’s name was Father Hardstep. The nun was Sister Indigo. Other nuns in the parish had names like Sister Daisy and Sister Angel Cakes, and they are overseen by Mother Margaret. > > [Hell Town (1985)](http://www.imdb.com/media/rm723288832/tt0088533) And the church was Our Lady of Perpetual Motion? ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2012, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-about-an-urban-catholic-church/609011/14 "2012-01-12T01:05:47Z")
Isn’t the local parish in Lake Wobegon called **Our Lady of Perpetual Responsibility**? And now I’m flashing back to a Cheech and Chong routine where a HS basketball coach referred to playing the team from **Our Lady of 151st Street**. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2012, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-about-an-urban-catholic-church/609011/15 "2012-01-13T02:48:45Z")
This is the Catholic church show I remember > **[Have Faith (TV Series 1989) ⭐ 6.7 | Comedy](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096608/)** > > 30m Mainly I remember it for having the dad from Silver Spoons. No idea if it had a nun or anything. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2012, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-series-about-an-urban-catholic-church/609011/16 "2012-01-13T03:01:50Z")
I immediately thought of **Nothing Sacred** , but had forgotten the name. Good show. I think it was while watching that that I first found out that the Contras weren’t really good guys.