“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.
Thoughtful Reflection
Scripture Reflection for December 7
Second Sunday of Advent
Time is very long, going back billions of years to the beginning of our universe, and going forward who knows how long until whatever the end might mean. Even the time since Jesus walked the earth is a long time, about 2000 years. And even the time since I was born seems like such a long time. I have seen so much change in my life of a mere 80 years so far! So when something is prophesied in the Bible, it is not a failure of the prophecy that it hasn’t happened before or during my lifetime. But from what we know of Creation, and then the Incarnation, and then the Resurrection and giving of the Spirit at Pentecost, it is not for us to sit around and wait for God to fulfill the prophecies. Jesus was, and of course still is, Christ among us and for us, but we are also called to be Christ to one another — to feed the hungry, to visit the imprisoned and the sick, to strengthen the weak, to do the things that Jesus did. If all who profess Christian faith would be Christ to all they encounter, God’s prophecies might not become universal right away, but they would start creeping around the neighborhoods, and around the nations, and around the world. It’s not our role to sit and wait. We’re called to get up and get going!
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.