The Missionary Sisters of St. Charles Borromeo are not pleased by having a “gentlemen’s club” operating in their back yard, and they are not going to be quiet about it. The Scalabrinian sisters, whose convent campus spans the border of Melrose Park and Stone Park, have joined in a lawsuit with the Village of Melrose Park and three Melrose Park residents in hopes of forcing the closure of Club Allure, 3801 W. Lake St., Street in Stone Park that backs up to the sisters’ property. The suit, filed by the Thomas More Society, claims that the club violates an Illinois state law requiring a 1,000-foot buffer zone between adult entertainment venues and places of worship and schools, among other uses. The convent property, which includes the Scalabrinian sisters’ provincial motherhouse, school for novices and home for aging sisters, also houses three chapels. Neighbors often join the sisters for prayer and daily Mass. Thomas Brejcha, president and chief counsel of the Thomas More Society, said the club is open until 5 a.m. and disturbs not only the sisters, but neighboring families. “There’s loud, blaring music all night long, with the heavy drumbeat — thwomp, thwomp, thwomp,” Brejcha said. Neighbors have complained about inebriated patrons leaving the club, fistfights in the parking lot and litter, including broken bottles and used condoms. The Scalabrinian sisters have been protesting the club since they learned that the property had been rezoned more than two years ago. At the time, the proposed club was to be called “Get It.” Its opening was delayed until September 2013, when it opened under the name Club Allure Chicago. The sisters said they were never informed of the rezoning hearing for the property; at the time, Stone Park village officials said their letter went to the wrong address because of problems with the property tax records. Stone Park officials also have said they believe the state buffer-zone law is unconstitutional, a notion that Brejcha scoffs at, noting that an Illinois appellate court has already upheld the law. In any case, he said, if the law is unconstitutional, they should seek to change it, not simply ignore it. What’s more, he said, the placement of the club on the border of Stone Park and Melrose Park means that it violates Melrose Park’s buffer zones, as well. Scalabrinian Sister Noemia Silva, who has acted as a spokeswoman for the sisters on the matter, said at a press conference June 18, “They can have their strip club, but in their own backyard, not in ours.” “This strip club has created an environment of fear and insecurity. Club Allure devalues and degrades our communities. A place like this should not be next to our convent and especially should not be in a residential area where children play every day. What mother wants to bring their family up next to a strip club?” Sister Noemia said. While the sisters wait for word on what will happen with their lawsuit, they plan to hold weekly Friday evening prayer vigils, meeting at 8 p.m. at the convent and walking to the front of the strip club to pray. All are invited to join them, in prayer even if they cannot come in person, said Yesenia Sanchez, executive director of PASO-West Suburban Action Project, a community organizing group that is helping the sisters fight the club. The organization also has created a special telephone line that residents can call to report problems stemming from the club. The number is (708) 600-7364.