“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 June 28
13th Sunday in Ordinary Time
In today’s Gospel we are told, “whoever receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward” (Matthew 10:41). In the first reading we are told the story of the Shunammite woman, who remains unnamed in the book of 2 Kings, who helps the prophet Elisha, and receives several rewards for her kindness. In my various times and places serving in parishes and missions there have always been people from that community who assisted me in my work, whether to help with the actual ministry or to see that I had rides to and from the airport, or something to eat, or just a friendly face now and then. I rewarded them as well as I could, but both they and I knew that their true reward would be from the Lord. Such people are in all communities, and they are essential to the work of the Lord, and if you are among them, may you be richly blessed. Know that you are greatly appreciated, and long remembered! Thank you!
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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