“Their sturdy backs bent down, by labor and fatigue, their eyes intent upon the earth, sift through stubble discarded by the reapers.”
—Sister Michaela O’Connor
The Gleaners, by Jean-François Millet (1857), depicts three peasant women gleaning a field of stray stalks of wheat after the harvest
Our Mission
To seek out and advocate for the poor and needy, especially families, for the Kingdom of God since 1872.
Obituaries
The funeral for Sister Michaela O’Connor, SHF, will be held on Thursday, December 4, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Joseph Parish Church, located at 43148 Mission Blvd. in Fremont.
Celebrating Our Legacy
Past
As Gleaners, we stood at the edge of society where Christ was encountered in word, silence, and action as the power of His Kingdom pushed out the boundaries of our world. We have been recognized by our simplicity of life and visible presence among the most abandoned.
Present
Our mission as Gleaners is to serve segments of the population who are underserved by Church and social institutions. As we celebrate this time in our history, our ministries will focus on children, homelessness, food insecurity, immigrants, refugees, and healthcare.
Future
Reflecting the heart of our mission our legacy will live on into the future for others through the Gardens at Palmdale, our Opportunity Fund with Abode Services, our Archives Collection, and Early Childhood Education Scholarships.
Sunday Scripture Reflection for July 12
15th Sunday in Ordinary Time
“A sower went out to sow…” and if you hear the long form of this Sunday’s Gospel reading, you will hear the Parable of the Sower, and the explanation behind speaking in parables, and the explanation of the parable itself. This is a very rich parable, and any reflection on it can also be a “long form.” But in short, when we go out and mingle among others — whether family, friends, co-workers or strangers — we are also sowers, and we get to choose what we will sow: hope, peace, joy, encouragement, the Word of God in any one of its many forms? Or do we sow doubt, malice, self-righteousness, despair? We choose what we will sow, and we also choose what we will receive from others, who are also sowers, and how we will deal with that seed we receive. This is a rich parable indeed!
Get Involved with Sisters of the Holy Family
There are a number of ways you can join our Family of Friends, including donations, prayer requests, connecting with a Sister, and joining our mailing list. If you would like to request a prayer for yourself or a loved one, please let us know.
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