In 1917, Mu Hsiang-po and Ying Lien-chih petitioned the Holy See for the creation of a Catholic university in China. They felt that although the Church was well established and ran many charitable institutions, but had established only two institutions of higher education in the country.
輔仁大學的英文名稱為 Fu Jen Catholic University，其中使用「Catholic」一字，表示輔仁是每國限設一所、直屬於教廷的天主教大學。「輔仁」在華建校，得歸功於兩位先生﹘﹘中國天主教名人司徒馬相伯先生和英歛之先生。