Transforming Lives Through Welcome

In a world often marked by division and exclusion, the Sisters of the Presentation continue to embody a counter cultural witness: radical hospitality. Rooted in the Gospel and inspired by their foundress Nano Nagle, the sisters have long embraced the transformative power of welcome — not as a passive gesture, but as a bold, active commitment to love, inclusion and shared mission.

Radical hospitality, as practiced by the Presentation community, is not simply about opening doors. It is about opening hearts. It is the spiritual discipline of making space, physically, emotionally and spiritually, for the other. It is the willingness to be changed by those we welcome.

This spirit of radical hospitality is shown in the sisters’ welcome of other women religious such as the Vietnamese Dominican Sisters from Bui Chu and Lovers of the Holy Cross of the Vinh Diocese and, most recently, the Holy Spirit Tanzanian Sisters into their home and into their hearts. These international guests are not merely visitors, they are embraced as family, as co-pilgrims on the journey of faith and service.

The Vietnamese Sisters have been with us for several years, studying English and theology at Divine Word College in Epworth, Iowa. Many come from communities shaped by resilience and deep devotion. They bring with them a rich cultural and spiritual heritage. Their presence has deepened the communal prayer life and broadened the global perspective of the Dubuque Presentation community. Similarly, the Tanzanian Sisters, with their joyful spirit, have enriched the Presentation mission with new energy. While here only for a three-month sabbatical, these sisters longed to be of help and service wherever and to whomever.

Living together, sharing meals, stories and ministries, the sisters have created a tapestry of intercultural communion. It is a living witness to the Presentation charism, a radical openness to God’s unfolding call, wherever it may lead and whomever it may include.

As one sister reflected on the sabbatical visit of the Tanzanian Sisters: “During their time of ‘refreshment’ after serving in community leadership, they expressed their gratitude for the warm welcome and for the gift of time for prayer and renewal at Mount Loretto. Thanks to their presence here, I, too, was ‘refreshed’ as we recalled meeting 25 years ago when I was blessed by their gifts of hospitality, eagerness to learn and living joyfully in the Spirit.”

This reflection underscores the mutual enrichment that radical hospitality brings, not just to those welcomed, but to the hosts as well.

This intercultural hospitality is not without its challenges. Language requisites, cultural differences even the logistics of finding their way around a new building require patience and humility. But the sisters embraced these challenges as opportunities for growth.

Bold and Generous Move
The Presentation Sisters’ commitment to radical hospitality is not confined to their motherhouse walls. It extends to the very structure of their physical space. In a bold and generous move, the sisters will soon be relocating within their own building to make room, with hope and anticipation, for the Presentation Lantern Center, a 501(c(3) nonprofit organization founded by the sisters to offerwelcome, one-on-one English tutoring and compassionate companionship for adult immigrants striving to better their lives. The center will move into their new space in 2026.

This decision is far more than a logistical shift — it is a profound act of mission. At the heart of the Presentation mission is a call to respond to the needs of the times, to stand with those on the margins and to foster a community where all can thrive. For more than 20 years, the Lantern Center has embodied the values the sisters hold dear: hospitality, education and advocacy. By making space for this ministry to grow, the sisters reaffirm their belief that mission must always lead, even when it requires sacrifice.
They are choosing to prioritize community impact over comfort, collaboration over control.

This transition reflects the sisters’ deep understanding that buildings are not just places to live, they are instruments of ministry. By sharing their space, they are extending their legacy of hospitality to new partners in service. It is a continuation of Nano’s vision: to go out into the streets, to meet the needs of the day and to do so with courage and compassion.

The Sisters of the Presentation have always been guided by the light of Nano, the “Lady of the Lantern.” Her legacy is one of fearless love and tireless service. Today, that lantern still burns brightly in Dubuque — in the welcome of Vietnamese and Tanzanian Sisters, in the opening of space for new ministries and in the daily acts of kindness and courage that define the Presentation way.

Radical hospitality, in this context, is a way of life. It is the daily decision to see Christ in the other, to make room for transformation and to trust that love will always lead us deeper into community.

As the sisters continue to live this call, they invite all to consider: What spaces in your lives — physical, emotional, spiritual — can be opened to others? How might we, too, practice radical hospitality in our homes, our workplaces, our communities?

In a time when many are building walls, the Sisters of the Presentation are building bridges. And in doing so, they are reminded that hospitality is not just about welcome — it is about witness. It is about showing the world what love looks like when it is lived boldly, generously and without reservation.