Maureen’s Message: True Hospitality
“True hospitality is not simply being polite or welcoming. It is helping another person feel seen and valued. Hospitality says: You matter here. Sometimes that looks simple, a student introducing themselves to a transfer student at lunch, a senior greeting visitors at the front doors, or classmates making room for someone sitting alone at a game.”
By: Principal Maureen Engen
True hospitality as an encounter with Jesus
People may forget what we said or taught, but they will never forget how we made them feel.
As we come to the close of another school year at Bishop Miege, my heart is full of gratitude. It has been a meaningful and fruitful year, marked not only by academic success, but by the faith and goodness of our students. In Catholic education, we often realize students teach us as much as we teach them. This year reminded me of that truth again and again.
Our Chaplain, Fr. Andrew Strobl, recently described hospitality as “an encounter with Jesus.” That phrase has stayed with me because true hospitality is not simply being polite or welcoming. It is helping another person feel seen and valued. Hospitality says: You matter here. Sometimes that looks simple, a student introducing themselves to a transfer student at lunch, a senior greeting visitors at the front doors, or classmates making room for someone sitting alone at a game.
Hospitality is not only about first impressions. It is also about lasting impressions. People remember how we ended conversations, how we handled conflict, whether we listened, whether we thanked them, whether we honored their dignity when they struggled, and whether they felt valued when they left. Those moments leave lasting marks on the hearts of others.
A class that made others feel at home
The graduating Class of 2026 lived this well. They were a small and mighty class whose influence far exceeded their numbers. From their freshman year forward, they welcomed people well. They greeted guests at events, included younger students, and created a culture where others felt known. As seniors, they also showed us how to say goodbye with grace and humility. During their retreat day before graduation, they thanked God, affirmed one another, and asked forgiveness for ways they may have hurt each other over the years. I witness senior retreats every year, but this one felt especially tender because of the sincerity in the room.
This class leaves behind more than scholarships, awards, or an impressive class GPA of 3.85. Those accomplishments matter, and we are proud of them. Yet their greatest legacy is the way they lived hospitality. A school can have strong academics and beautiful facilities, but if people do not feel known, they will never feel at home. The Class of 2026 helped make Bishop Miege feel like home. Their legacy will remain in the culture they shaped, a culture where people are welcomed, respected, and loved.
Carrying the spirit of true hospitality forward
As we finish the final weeks of the school year, I continue to be inspired by our underclassmen as well. They are finishing strong in both character and commitment. There is a steady goodness in this student body that gives me hope for the future. Whether in classrooms, retreats, athletics, service opportunities, or the hallways between classes, our students continue to reflect the mission of Bishop Miege in meaningful ways.
Thank you, dear parents, for partnering with us in this mission. Thank you for entrusting your children to us. It is a great privilege to walk beside these young people as they grow into the men and women God created them to be.
My hope is that the way Bishop Miege students are formed to care for one another, to notice the person who feels left out, to encourage a struggling friend, to seek forgiveness, and to live with compassion and faith, resonates deeply within your own families as well. These lessons matter far beyond high school. They shape the kind of people our students will become and the kind of communities they will help build.
May God bless your families as we enter the summer months with grateful hearts. Peace be with you.
“And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’” Matthew 25:40