--- description: The satirical aim of Our Lady of Perpetual Exemption will be to collect copious, tax-exempt donations. title: John Oliver Starts Own Church image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3fcb6b96eab42e1c/69885f8ee20a8734f7a8cc74/gettyimages-483444516.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Entertainment](/section/entertainment/) ## Entertainment Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # John Oliver Becomes a Televangelist and Finally Starts His Own Church by [Melissa Locker](/author/melissa-locker/) ## Melissa Locker Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Aug 17, 2015 9:36 AM CUT  John Oliver accepts the TCA Award for Outstanding Achievement in News and Information for 'Last Week Tonight with John Oliver; via video at the 31st annual Television Critics Association Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on August 8, 2015 in Beverly Hills, California. John Oliver accepts the TCA Award for Outstanding Achievement in News and Information for 'Last Week Tonight with John Oliver; via video at the 31st annual Television Critics Association Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on August 8, 2015 in Beverly Hills, California.Frederick M. Brown—Getty Images by [Melissa Locker](/author/melissa-locker/) ## Melissa Locker Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Aug 17, 2015 9:36 AM CUT John Oliver is officially a church. Upon finding out about mega-churches like those led by Kenneth Copeland and Robert Tilton, which earn millions of dollars every year but are exempt from paying taxes, _Last Week Tonight_ host John Oliver did the only logical thing—he formed his own church. Specifically, he formed, [Our Lady of Perpetual Exemption](http://www.ourladyofperpetualexemption.com "undefined"). With a little help from Sister Wanda Jo Oliver, played by former _Saturday Night Live_ star Rachel Dratch, Oliver’s church will collect copious donations while encouraging congregants to silently meditate on the nature of fraudulent churches. To aid his followers in making their donations, Oliver delivered his ministrations right through the TV screen asking viewers with lupus to lay their hands on their television and pray with him—and then donate to his church. The church looks to be completely real with services held every Sunday at 11pm on HBO and, naturally, donation boxes always open. > [](https://twitter.com/LastWeekTonight/status/633117977282498560) Those who choose to donate to Our Lady of Perpetual Exemption should be sure to read the fine print, though, which says that the church “may choose to wind down and dissolve in the near future. Upon dissolution, any assets belonging to the Church at that time will be distributed to Doctors Without Borders, a non-profit charitable organization that is tax-exempt under § 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (EIN: 13-3433452) and which provides emergency medical aid in places where it is needed most.” For more information, Pastor Oliver encouraged his most devout and devoted viewers to call a special number to hear a message for the masses: > [](https://twitter.com/LastWeekTonight/status/633119920377724928) _Read next:_ [_Watch John Oliver Conscript Nick Offerman, Laverne Cox and Others For a Sex Ed Video_](http://time.com/3990195/last-week-tonight-john-oliver-sex-education-video/?iid=time%5Freadnext "undefined") [_Download TIME’s mobile app for iOS to have your world explained wherever you go_](https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/time-mobile/id328218429 "undefined") ### U.S. Politics as Seen Through Mark Peterson's Satirical Eye  American flags surround a photo of Ronald Regan at the Young Americans for Liberty booth at CPAC on Mar. 8\. 2014. Mark Peterson—Redux  A CPAC attendee shows her nails, a necklace and some love during CPAC in Mar. 8, 2014. Mark Peterson—Redux  Former Secretary of State and Nobel Peace prize winner Dr. Henry Kissinger in his office at Kissinger Associates on Park Ave. With Fortune Editor Andy Serwer. Mark Peterson—Redux  Extreme close up of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. Mark Peterson—Redux  Senator Hillary Clinton at the New York City Labor Day parade in 2006. Mark Peterson—Redux  From the series Politics in Black and White Mark Peterson—Redux  New York City Mayor Bill Deblasio talks to reporters on Veterans Day, 2013. Mark Peterson—Redux  Texas Gov Rick Perry campaigns in NJ for Senate Candidate Lonegan. Mark Peterson—Redux  Over 40 conservative groups and organizations rallied in front of the White House to demand President Obama’s resignation and to “reclaim America.” Mark Peterson—Redux  From the series Politics in Black and White Mark Peterson—Redux  Buttons on display on the third and final day of CPAC on Mar. 9, 2014. Mark Peterson—Redux  Million Vet protest at the WW2 memorial Mark Peterson—Redux  At a rally for Treyvon Martin in Union Square, NYC. Mark Peterson—Redux  At a rally for Treyvon Martin in Union Square, NYC. Mark Peterson—Redux ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3999933/john-oliver-televangelist-church-alst-week-tonight/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3999933/john-oliver-televangelist-church-alst-week-tonight/"},"headline":"John Oliver Becomes a Televangelist and Finally Starts His Own Church","datePublished":"2015-08-17T09:36:02.000Z","dateModified":"2026-05-11T04:49:32.812Z","description":"The satirical aim of Our Lady of Perpetual Exemption will be to collect copious, tax-exempt donations","url":"https://time.com/3999933/john-oliver-televangelist-church-alst-week-tonight/","keywords":["Television","Religion","Church","John Oliver","Last Week Tonight"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3fcb6b96eab42e1c/69885f8ee20a8734f7a8cc74/gettyimages-483444516.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Melissa Locker","jobTitle":"","url":"https://time.com/author/melissa-locker/"}],"articleSection":"Entertainment","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3fcb6b96eab42e1c/69885f8ee20a8734f7a8cc74/gettyimages-483444516.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"2015 Summer TCA Tour - 31st Annual Television Critics Association Awards","caption":"2015 Summer TCA Tour - 31st Annual Television Critics Association Awards","creditText":"Frederick M. 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