The Augustine Institute Announces New Home in St. Louis
The 284-acre campus will allow apostolate to establish a national center for evangelization
The 284-acre campus will allow apostolate to establish a national center for evangelization
Dr. Tim Gray, president of the Augustine Institute, shares his vision for the new campus in St. Louis and how it will further the apostolate's mission to help Catholics understand, live, and share their faith.
“The purchase of the Boeing Leadership Center (BLC) offers an unprecedented opportunity to expand our Graduate School of Theology and further our mission of helping Catholics understand, live, and share their faith. The BLC’s state-of-the-art facilities will transform the work of the Augustine Institute by allowing us to take our curriculum and resources beyond a digital interface, which already reaches millions around the world, into a national center for Catholic conferences, retreats, evangelization, and fellowship.”
Dear friends,
I'm excited to share that the Augustine Institute has purchased an extraordinary new campus in the St. Louis area, and we will begin transitioning our headquarters to the new campus immediately.
Since our founding in 2005, the Augustine Institute has received so many incredible graces and blessings from the Lord. But perhaps the most extraordinary is the gift of this beautiful new campus provided entirely by generous donors who understand the mission of the Augustine Institute and its impact on the Church. This state-of-the-art campus will allow us not only to have our students on campus—it's also going to magnify and expand our mission in incredible ways.
First, we will be able to house our graduate students on campus. This space will allow us to increase on-campus enrollment and create a place for fellowship, community, and contemplation. Likewise, our distance education students will have the opportunity to visit for intensive classes, retreats, and seminars.
Second, our vision is to make this campus a national center for Catholic conferences and retreats, such as events for priests, deacons, married couples, those who work in Church ministry, Catholic school teachers, and those who serve in parish life. We also look forward to welcoming conferences hosted by other apostolates and ministry-based organizations by providing them with an affordable, professional, and contemplative space to build and grow their individual missions.
Our vision for this new campus is to be a Catholic oasis, a place to bring people for inspiration, formation, and spiritual renewal. I'm so excited by this gift God has given us because it's not just for the Augustine Institute—it’s a gift for the Church.
Though the world around us is experiencing troubling times, God is still present, working and moving through his Church. St. Paul echoes this reality when he says, “Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more” (Romans 5:20). “Grace” means gift, and God has miraculously given this beautiful new center for the Church as a place to gather, be renewed, and be formed for mission. I believe this is a sign that God wants to renew his Church and he's going to continue to perform miracles. I pray this gives you hope and inspiration.
Look for more information to come as we begin the transition to our new home. Thank you for your prayers for the Augustine Institute!
“I believe that the Augustine Institute will transform this property into the premier center for the New Evangelization in the United States. By leveraging St. Louis’ central location, the Augustine Institute can foster a new era of collaboration with Catholic organizations nationwide and invite more people to encounter Jesus Christ and his Church.”
“By working closely with the Augustine Institute, the Archdiocese of St. Louis will be able to enhance our efforts for evangelization and discipleship. We look forward to tapping into its wide array of existing resources, exploring our faith with its renowned theologians, and engaging in hands-on training in our own backyard.”
“The beautiful new facility for the Augustine Institute in the Archdiocese of St. Louis is providential. It will allow the Institute the opportunity to remain faithful to its mission while continuing to grow. As a board member and friend of the Augustine Institute, this is the realization of a long-standing hope for a campus environment for students, faculty, and expanded theology programs.”
When the Augustine Institute’s relocation first became a possibility, Archbishop Rozanski penned this letter to share his excitement about the prospect of working more closely with the Augustine Institute.
Letter of Blessing
Strength for the Journey is the name of the Augustine Institute's campaign to purchase the former Boeing Leadership Center in St. Louis, Missouri. This campus will be the new home of the Augustine Institute’s corporate office, production studios, and the Graduate School of Theology—the largest Catholic graduate school of theology in the country.
The purpose of the Strength for the Journey campaign is to raise funds for the Augustine Institute’s new campus in St. Louis.
As of April 22, 2024, the Augustine Institute purchased the former Boeing Leadership Center in St. Louis County, Missouri. The apostolate’s transition to its new home is currently underway; the Graduate School of Theology is scheduled to begin classes on the new campus in Fall 2024.
Since its founding in Denver almost 20 years ago, the Augustine Institute has served more than 927 Graduate School of Theology alumni, benefitted over 1.7 million subscribers on FORMED.org, inspired 490,000 downloads of the Amen app, and educated more than 165,000 students with catechetical materials in the United States and abroad.
With this level of operation, the Augustine Institute has outgrown its Denver campus. The new facility affords the Graduate School of Theology a permanent location to house students on campus. Its central location in the heart of the Midwest also makes the Augustine Institute accessible to over 13 million Catholics within a day’s drive of the campus.
Generous donors committed to the Augustine Institute's future and mission made this purchase possible. Additional funds raised also offset the cost of moving the Augustine Institute’s operations from Denver to St. Louis, as well as provide for a series of immediate improvements to make the new campus feel like home.
The Augustine Institute will relocate in phases beginning in 2024. Many staff members are in the process of moving to the new campus this spring and summer; the Graduate School of Theology plans to host students when the academic year begins in September. While the full scale of campus improvements will take several years to realize, the Augustine Institute anticipates a fully functional campus in Fall 2024.
The Augustine Institute will continue operations in both Denver and St. Louis in the near future. Long term, the desire is for the Denver office space to continue supporting Catholic organizations and apostolates. If the Augustine Institute were to seek a purchaser, the buyer would need to preserve the building’s dedication to the New Evangelization and Catholic organizations.
The Augustine Institute is an independent non-profit that operates separately from any diocese. Archbishop Rozanski has been overwhelmingly supportive and welcoming to the Augustine Institute; however, the Archdiocese of St. Louis did not contribute funding toward the purchase of the new campus.
The Augustine Institute looks forward to collaborating with the archdiocese to further evangelization goals associated with the All Things New initiative.
The new campus offers over 301,000 square feet of space spread over 284 acres overlooking the Missouri River. The property features four miles of paved walking paths, five miles of nature trails, and is located 20 minutes from St. Louis Lambert International Airport.
The new campus is fully furnished and has 14 wired classrooms, 31 breakout rooms, three conference spaces, and two executive meeting rooms to support the Graduate School of Theology. The property includes 204 executive hotel-style suites, a 256-seat dining hall, and a state-of-the-art fitness center. These extensive facilities will foster the growth of the Graduate School of Theology and allow the Augustine Institute to host its own retreats, conferences, and events, as well as those of other apostolates.
With more space to create content and host Catholic leaders, the Augustine Institute’s new home will enable the apostolate to provide more formation for lay leaders and create more resources to reach those who do not practice the faith. Likewise, the Augustine Institute’s resources and events will renew faith-sharing among families to successfully pass on the faith to future generations and play a larger role in increasing priestly and religious vocations.
The Augustine Institute looks forward to engaging with the Archdiocese of St. Louis and supporting the work of the All Things New campaign. St. Louis residents can apply for studies at the Graduate School of Theology, use gathering space for local ministries, apply to work on campus, and participate in retreats, trainings, and other events.
Regional and national media outlets—both Catholic and secular—have taken a healthy interest in Strength for the Journey. Dr. Tim Gray, president of the Augustine Institute, has participated in more than 40 interviews directly related to the project.
Anyone can join this campaign; the Augustine Institute encourages donors to share this project with their networks.
Strength for the Journey campaign funding supports the purchase of the property, the cost of moving to St. Louis, and a series of immediate improvements that will make the new campus feel like home.
The Augustine Institute anticipates the core of its fundraising effort will continue through 2028.
Yes, supporters will be invited to a Grand Opening Ceremony toward the end of 2024.
If you are interested in making a campaign gift, please contact Paul Dudzic, Chief Strategy and Mission Advancement Officer, at paul.dudzic@augustineinstitute.org. You can also make a one-time gift to the Augustine Institute here.
Yes, all contributions to this campaign are tax deductible in accordance with state and federal laws.
Yes, the Augustine Institute encourages supporters to consider multi-year pledges and is happy to work with you to determine the best giving schedule for you.
We ask that you honor your existing pledge and consider making an additional contribution to this effort. Current pledges cannot be redirected to this campaign.
Yes, companies and foundations are a key element of this fundraising effort.
Your company should be able to provide information about matching gifts, as gift policies are different for every company. If your organization cannot assist you, please contact the Augustine Institute Advancement Department at donor.support@augustineinstitute.org.
While the core of this fundraising effort focuses on one-time gifts or multi-year pledges, the Augustine Institute encourages donors to consider planned or legacy gifts if desired. To discuss a planned gift, please contact Paul Dudzic at paul.dudzic@augustineinstitute.org.
While our current efforts focus primarily on financial support, there are opportunities to support this project through in-kind donations, letters of endorsement, and volunteering. Please contact the Advancement Department at donor.support@augustineinstitute.org for more information.