“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.
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.
Thoughtful Reflection
Scripture Reflection for November 9
Feast of the Dedication of the
Lateran Basilica in Rome
This Sunday we celebrate, throughout the world, the dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome. I will leave it to you to look up why that particular Basilica is important. We need to consider whether church is a building, or something deeper than a building. I grew up Presbyterian, and we were always taught, “We are the church,” not meaning exclusively Presbyterians, but humans. We, not buildings, are the Church. The Catholic Church teaches the same thing, and our second reading this Sunday backs that up. As Church, we have a responsibility to our God and to the world to make our teaching clear — beyond rules, beyond personal opinions, beyond politics. Check out Pope Leo XIV’s first apostolic exhortation, Dilexi Te, for Jesus’ teaching on the church and the poor — not politics, but the Word of the Lord.
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.