“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
We remember and celebrate the lives of the remarkable women who dedicated themselves to service, faith, and community. Their legacy continues to guide and inspire us each day. Click on the button below to view the obituaries of our sisters who have gone before us, and join us in honoring their enduring contributions and cherished memories.
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 October 4
Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
I’ve been preoccupied this week, both at work and at prayer, with dealing with the results of a flood in our office. Now, let’s be realistic here. This was no 18-foot wave of terror that washed down upon us. This was a 1-inch layer of water that gradually worked its way under the wall into our office and then slowly across the carpet to where we finally could stop it. It’s almost embarrassing to call it a flood with all the floods in the news these days, but it was — in its own way — a flood, and required an immediate emergency response, and then mitigation and then amelioration and finally restoration. We’re hoping maybe 2-3 weeks and all will be well. We’re kind of still in the mitigation phase. But it makes my heart go out even more to all those other flood victims who have lost homes, towns, family and friends, history, livelihood — everything. May they not have lost hope! And may they have the assistance of the rest of the world to do what is possible toward mitigation, amelioration and restoration. We are all one human family around the world — may this be a time once more when we see that truth and leap into action. God bless us, every one!
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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