PHOTOS: Archbishop Aquila, Cardinal Dolan Mark 20 Years of the Augustine Institute

From Denver roots to global evangelization, the Augustine Institute continues to form and equip disciples for mission.

Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila distributes Holy Communion during the special dedication Mass at the Augustine Institute's new campus in Florissant, Missouri, on August 28. (Photo courtesy of the Augustine Institute)

On the feast of St. Augustine, August 28, the Augustine Institute celebrated its 20th anniversary with gratitude, prayer and bold vision for the future. Founded in Denver in 2005, the Institute has grown from a graduate school serving local Catholics into the largest Catholic graduate school of theology in the United States, reaching millions worldwide with its evangelization efforts.

The milestone celebration took place on the Institute’s new 285-acre campus in Florissant, Missouri, where faculty, benefactors, alumni and friends gathered alongside distinguished guests Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York and Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila of Denver. For many Denver Catholics, Archbishop Aquila’s presence carried special meaning — a reminder of the Institute’s Denver roots and its ongoing bond with the Archdiocese where it was born and flourished for nearly two decades.

A vision for the New Evangelization

“The Augustine Institute was founded 20 years ago as a new kind of graduate school for the New Evangelization, and it has continued and grown its mission in many ways,” said Augustine Institute President Dr. Timothy Gray. “We have expanded into media production, online catechesis and parish formation programs, reaching millions through initiatives like Formed, the Amen app and Word of Life K-8 curriculum. We are deeply grateful for the support of our alumni and financial and spiritual benefactors, and we rejoice in being able to continue this mission today, confident in God’s guidance for the years ahead.”

From graduate classrooms to parish curricula, streaming media to mobile apps, the Institute has sought to equip the lay faithful with theological and pastoral formation to renew the Church and transform the world. In May, the Institute celebrated its largest graduating class in its history, the first commencement to take place on the new Florissant campus.

Dr. Tim Gray, president of the Augustine Institute, speaks to those gathered.

Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York celebrated the special dedication Mass on the Florissant campus.

After Mass, a new statue of St. Augustine standing prominently at the campus entrance was blessed.

Cardinal Dolan, a Missouri native, celebrated the special dedication Mass for the new campus.

Faithful from around the country joined together in prayer at the new Florissant campus.

Dr. Ben Akers, chief mission officer, reflected on St. Augustine's importance to the Church.

(Photos courtesy of the Augustine Institute)

Honoring St. Augustine

The anniversary celebrations highlighted the patron saint whose name the Institute bears. Dr. Ben Akers, chief mission officer, and Dr. Christopher Mooney, faculty member, gave reflections on the enduring relevance of St. Augustine’s teaching and witness. With Pope Leo XIV recently identifying himself as a “son of St. Augustine” in his first public greeting, the Institute underscored the timeliness of its mission and the spiritual heritage it continues to draw from.

“Even as the world around him shifted, St. Augustine never lost sight of the hope found in Christ,” said Akers. “That same vision guides the Augustine Institute as we educate teachers and catechists and equip the Church with the tools, resources and formation needed to proclaim the Gospel with confidence in our own age”.

A new home, a lasting symbol

The capstone of the celebration was a dedication Mass for the new campus celebrated by Cardinal Dolan and Archbishop Aquila, followed by the blessing of a bronze-cast statue of St. Augustine created by the renowned ALBL Oberammergau studio in Germany. Standing prominently at the campus entrance, the statue serves as a visible reminder of the Institute’s mission and as a spiritual marker for future generations.

Gratitude and hope

For Catholics in Denver, the anniversary was a moment of pride in what the Augustine Institute has achieved and continues to achieve, as well as gratitude for the years it spent forming the faithful in Colorado.

“As we mark twenty years of God’s blessings, the Augustine Institute looks ahead with great hope,” said Dr. Gray. “Our goal remains to build up the Church and her mission by helping Catholics understand, live and share their faith”.

Though its headquarters have moved east, the Augustine Institute’s Denver roots remain deep, and its mission — forming Catholics for the New Evangelization — continues to bear fruit for the Church in Colorado and beyond.