About Us:
The Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Family, a community of Roman Catholic Sisters, was founded in San Francisco, California in 1872. Elizabeth Armer, a young woman with a passionate desire to serve God through serving the poor, was its foundress and was inspired by Father John J. Prendergast, a priest of what was then the Diocese of San Francisco. Committed especially to serve
families and children, the Sisters of the Holy Family were pioneers in the establishment of quality and affordable child care (1878) long before its widespread existence today. The Sisters of the Holy Family take strong local and national leadership in religious education for children, adults and the physically and mentally challenged. The Sisters’ ministries include: Grief Counseling, Hospital Chaplaincy, Religious Education Programs, Childcare, Parish Administration, Social Work, Personal Growth, Spiritual Direction and a host of collaborative projects to meet emerging needs without neglecting the ministries of the past. Associates of the Sisters of the Holy Family also share in the Sisters' ministries in California, Nevada, Hawaii, Alaska, Florida, Illinois, Utah, South Dakota, and Missouri. The outreach is diverse in response to today’s Gospel call to serve those in need. Today, the Motherhouse is located in Fremont, California and is the center of the Congregation’s administration. Of special note, the congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Family is the only religious community of women founded in the United States west of the Mississippi.
