At SHINE 2023, President Monsignor Stuart Swetland announced the launch of The Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos Institute for the Advancement of Catholic Education. The Institute aims to provide services to the local Catholic community by embracing two of Donnelly’s core values: seeking truth and building community.
The Seelos Institute is named after Blessed Seelos, a German-born Redemptorist priest who dedicated his life to serving the poor and marginalized, with a special focus on immigrants and youth.
“As a Catholic College, Donnelly is called not just to provide education and faith formation to its students, but to engage the Church and the greater community in lifelong learning,” Msgr. Swetland said. “With the creation of The Seelos Institute, the College will have a more formal structure for expanding these efforts.”
One key initiative of The Seelos Institute provides ongoing faculty formation in elementary and secondary schools throughout the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas — a service previously provided by Holy Family School of Faith. The staff responsible for this initiative are Sebastian D’Amico, Jennifer Punswick and Aaron Williams, Donnelly’s former director of mission.
Two other initiatives are also underway: a partnership with the Ethics of Evidence Foundation to publish a series of scholarly works exploring the relationship between faith and science, and adult education including a monthly adult Bible study and business classes. More initiatives will be added as The Seelos Institute evolves. 
From left: Sebastian D'Amico, Jennifer Punswick, Aaron Williams