St. Joseph's Convent

Marian Sisters • March 21, 2026

As a new Community, we have many “firsts”. First Convent. First Perpetual Profession. First Chapel that wasn’t originally a living room.  And one such “first” is the establishment of a mission Convent separate from Mater Dei, our Motherhouse.

While we have referenced our mission, St. Joseph’s Convent in Ferndale, California, we wanted to tell the story of how our Humboldt County mission began and where it is now.

Two dark hooded figures stand in a grassy field near a white church under an overcast sky.

Since we were founded for the spiritual benefit of the Diocese of Santa Rosa, we have always wanted to have a greater presence throughout the whole of our diocese, although the breadth of territory it spans –Petaluma to the Oregon border, over 300 miles– has made that a challenge.

Since 2015, we have been invited annually to Assumption Parish in Ferndale to visit the CCD classrooms and spend time with the faithful of the parish who dreamed of someday having the presence of Marian Sisters at their parish.

In 2023, we heard that a Convent near Assumption Parish was up for sale. Ferndale is a picturesque small town in a dairy farming community, about three and a half hours from our Motherhouse in Santa Rosa. Its proximity to cities in the northern half of our diocese such as Eureka, Arcata, and Fortuna and its position as a “half-way point” to further northern communities such as Crescent City, made it the perfect launching pad for mission work.

Dramatic cloudy sunset over open fields and a gravel road

Situated next door to Assumption Parish, St. Joseph's Convent was built for the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange in 1964 but only housed the Sisters for four years before they moved south in 1968. After this, the Convent was sold and served multiple and varied functions over the years. It was a nursing home, bed & breakfast inn “The Priory”, and family home.

Two people in blue uniforms cleaning a dirty floor with a scraper and dustpan.

When we acquired it, the Convent had been empty for several years and needed extensive cleaning and updating. Gratefully, many friends, old and new, pitched in to help us. By fall of 2025, the Convent was ready and we were ready to establish a more consistent presence, so we began to go up once a month to help teach the Confirmation Class at Assumption Parish on Sundays and engage with the students at St. Bernard’s School, Assumption Parish Homeschool Co-op, and Humboldt State Newman Center.

We are blessed to serve the faithful in the northern part of our diocese and grateful for all that they have done to make our presence in Ferndale and beyond possible. Entrusting this new Convent to St. Joseph, we look forward to the Lord’s plans for us.

Please click "read in browser" to access the Ferndale slideshow below.

Ferndale Slideshow

Person standing on a forest path among tall trees, wearing a white top and blue skirt.
Historic corner building with teal facade under a blue sky, viewed from the street with parked cars.
Green field with tall grass and wildflowers under a cloudy blue sunset sky
Modern house exterior with wood siding, large windows, and blue sky above
Spacious living room with wood-paneled ceiling, chandelier, parquet floor, bookshelves, and couches
Small chapel with altar, pews, and floor lamps under a vaulted wooden ceiling.
Nun in blue apron holds a brown paper bag beside donated goods in a room
Small bedroom with an unmade bed, open window, shelves, and clothes hanging near the bed
Small bedroom with bed, window, blue curtains, wooden floor, and a wall cross
Cluttered home office with shelves, filing cabinets, desk, and sunlight through a window overlooking greenery
Two burgundy armchairs by a window beside a large wooden cabinet in a sunlit room.
Dining room with a green tablecloth, chandelier, piano, and large windows overlooking a garden
Dining room with wooden table, benches, chairs, blue placemats, chandelier, and large windows with curtains.
Two workers in blue jackets repairing a worn stairway indoors
Wood-paneled staircase with dark railings in an indoor hallway
Two people kneel on a floor, working on baseboard near a wall in a partly empty room.
Person measuring a ceiling light fixture in a stairwell with a tape measure
Cluttered workshop with tools, workbench, bicycle parts, and a white refrigerator against the wall
Cluttered workshop with tools, hanging cords, and two people working near a table under bright lights
Outdoor yard sale setup with tables, boxes, and assorted items along a driveway beside a house.
Backyard view with red roof tiles, a trailer, and lush green trees on a cloudy day
People loading white furniture into a pickup truck on a rainy residential street
People carrying a white coffin in a residential yard near a tree and house
Small room with open doors, a person in a black coat, and colorful glass by the entrance.
White altar table with candles in a bright room, set before large windows and a wooded view.
Interior room with ladder and paint sample walls, lit by a lamp on a chair, in mid-renovation.
Person in blue headscarf working at a counter in a kitchen with open wooden cabinets and shelves
People setting up a room with white fabric, a ladder, and large windows overlooking trees
Three clergy members walking in a church, one carrying a thurible.
Wood-sided building under construction with exposed framing, stacked lumber, and a cloudy sky.
Wooden outdoor staircase and elevated deck attached to a brick building
Wet wooden deck railing overlooking a green backyard and trees under a cloudy sky
Outdoor amphitheater with stone seating and a small stage surrounded by tall trees at dusk
Nighttime street corner with a brightly lit historic building and parked cars nearby
Church interior with congregation seated in wooden pews facing a choir and altar beneath stained-glass windows
Church altar with a statue of Mary, American flag, red flowers, and a small kneeler in front
Church altar with a statue of Mary, flowers, candles, and stained glass windows
People seated in a church facing the altar, with a crucifix on the wall and ornate blue decor.
Three people in white costumes sit at a table with candles and plates in a kitchen
Two people cooking in a kitchen, smiling beside a stove with pans and pots.
Three people in blue and white robes walk up steps to a building entrance
Three robed figures stand beside a mannequin in a museum exhibit room.
Two nuns stand beside a small wooden religious statue in a museum-like display.
Person in blue and white stands in a living room facing a wall of framed art.
Interior hallway with white walls, brick accent wall, wooden floor, and a wall-mounted cross.
Small chapel interior with altar, wooden pews, blue wall, and chandeliers under a vaulted ceiling
Person in a blue coat peeks from a hollow in a giant tree trunk, hands clasped.
Four people in blue and white robes climbing a giant tree trunk in a forest
Empty church sanctuary with wooden pews, blue-covered chairs, and light from arched windows
Five people stand in a classroom with star decorations on the wall, smiling in navy-and-white outfits.
Four nuns stand outside a white church on a sunny day.
Church interior with ornate altar, stained glass windows, and people seated in pews during a service
Church interior with stained glass, congregation seated in pews, and a priest speaking at the altar
Classroom presentation with a teacher at the front and students seated facing a chalkboard and whiteboard.
Teacher lecturing at a chalkboard while students sit in a classroom.
Classroom lesson with students seated at desks while two teachers stand near the chalkboard and TV.
Children seated around a table, sorting small colorful objects in a classroom activity
Students seated at tables in a classroom, with a nun standing nearby and papers on the table.
Person in blue and white standing on a beach facing the ocean under a clear sky
Five smiling nuns in blue-and-white habits sit on a beach with the ocean behind them.
Person standing on a beach looking at the ocean under a cloudy sky
People standing inside a hollow giant tree in a redwood forest, surrounded by tall green trees.
Three people in purple outfits posing inside a giant redwood tree trunk in a forest
Hikers on a mossy forest trail among tall redwood trees and ferns
Two people in blue robes standing in a sunlit forest, looking up among tall trees

< Older Post

Newer Post >

Recent Posts

Group of people holding a large tilted white pole outdoors under a clear blue sky

The Re-Erection of the Cross

By Marian Sisters • October 22, 2026
Our Sisters were saddened and disturbed to find our beloved cross which stood erect on our hill vandalized and cut down last month. We have been very...
Two blue-robed figures seen from behind in a church aisle, with stained-glass windows ahead

What have the Sisters been doing? Photo-post!

By Marian Sisters • October 14, 2026
While our Sisters teaching at Cardinal Newman High School and St. John's Elementary School began in August, we had many other apostolates in September and...
Clergyman in a cape standing in a library beside a statue of the Virgin and Child

American Saints: Fulton Sheen

By Marian Sisters • September 4, 2026
As a continuation of our series on American saints and in anticipation of the upcoming beatification of Venerable Fulton Sheen, we would like to highlight...
People seated in a wooden courtroom or hearing room, listening with folders in hand

The Marian Sodality

By Marian Sisters • August 26, 2026
One of the defining characteristics of the spirituality of our Community, as the Marian Sisters of Santa Rosa, is our consecration to the Blessed Virgin...
St. Rose of Lima poster with a devotional portrait of a woman in dark robes and roses, plus a quote on a brown background

St. Rose of Lima, ora pro nobis!

By Marian Sisters • August 23, 2026
Nun and children acting in a classroom skit beside a chalkboard and chairs

Summer in Review

By Marian Sisters • August 20, 2026
Campers acting out the Fifth Glorious Mystery at Magnificat Days