“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.
Scripture Reflection for May 31
Most Holy Trinity
Don’t even bother trying to understand the Holy Trinity; it is a grand mystery! But while we cannot as humans fully understand the depth of the mystery, we can begin by opening our minds and hearts to a greater awareness of God’s work in our lives — not always as the Father with all those rules, nor as Jesus the nice guy, nor even as the Spirit that moves among and within us. God is all of these, and far more. A glance at Psalm 18 can help: “I love you, LORD, my strength, LORD, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer, My God, my rock of refuge, my shield, my saving horn, my stronghold” (Psalm 18:2-3). In these two verses, the Psalmist names many images of God which help him to explain who God is for him. The Trinity is beyond mere “images” of God, is defined as “persons” in one person. But in our lives we understand God in many ways, even from day to day or from moment to moment. The important thing is that God is both far beyond us and deep within us, and in all the space in between. Blessed be God!
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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