The Von Hügel Institute (VHI) is an academic

research institute A research institute, research centre, or research organization is an establishment founded for doing research. Research institutes may specialize in basic research or may be oriented to applied research. Although the term often implies natural ...

based at

St Edmund's College, Cambridge St Edmund's College is a Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge in England. Founded in 1896, it is the second-oldest of the three Cambridge colleges oriented to mature students, which accept ...

, a constituent part of the

University of Cambridge The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, wo ...

in England. Founded in 1987, it is named after

Anatole von Hügel Anatole von Hügel (29 September 1854, in Florence – 15 August 1928, in Cambridge) was a son of an Austrian nobleman who lived in England and was curator of the Cambridge University Museum of Archaeology, 1883 – 1921. Early life Bor ...

(1854–1928), naturalist and co-founder (with the

Henry Fitzalan-Howard, 15th Duke of Norfolk Henry Fitzalan-Howard, 15th Duke of Norfolk, (27 December 184711 February 1917), styled Lord Maltravers until 1856 and Earl of Arundel and Surrey between 1856 and 1860, was a British Unionist politician and philanthropist. He served as Postmas ...

) of St Edmund's College. It was established, according to the College's Ordinances, to 'preserve and develop the Roman Catholic tradition of the College' by carrying out research on Catholic Social Teaching, on the relationship between Christianity and society, and on issues of social justice. The institute has been directed by Rev Chris Moss SJ, the Rev Frank McHugh, Rev Frank Carey WF, Professor David Bridges, Rev David Clark, Professor John Loughlin and Dr Philip McCosker. Professor

Mary McAleese Mary Patricia McAleese ( ; ; ; born 27 June 1951) is an Irish activist lawyer, academic, author, and former politician who served as the president of Ireland from November 1997 to November 2011. McAleese was first elected as president in 1997, ...

, former President of Ireland and Honorary Fellow of St Edmund's is a Patron of the VHI, alongside Professor

Rowan Williams Rowan Douglas Williams, Baron Williams of Oystermouth (born 14 June 1950) is a Welsh Anglican bishop, theologian and poet, who served as the 104th Archbishop of Canterbury from 2002 to 2012. Previously the Bishop of Monmouth and Archbishop of W ...

, Rt Rev

Alan Hopes Alan Stephen Hopes (born 17 March 1944) is a British Roman Catholic prelate and former Anglican priest. From 2013 to 2022 he served as the Bishop of East Anglia. He was previously appointed as an auxiliary bishop of Westminster in 2003. Early ...

, and the Countess of St Andrews (Dr

Sylvana Tomaselli Sylvana Palma Windsor, Countess of St Andrews (''née'' Tomaselli, previously Jones; born 28 May 1957) is a Canadian-born academic and historian. By virtue of marriage she is a member of the House of Windsor and is related to the British royal ...

Director

Since January 2020, the Director is Dr Vittorio Montemaggi. who contributed to the programme ''Dante 2021'' on

BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. The station replaced the BBC Home Service on 30 September 1967 and broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes from the BBC's headquarters at Broadcasti ...

guiding host

Katya Adler Michal Katya Adler (born 3 May 1972) is a British-German journalist. She has been the BBC's Europe editor since 2014. Early life Adler was born on 3 May 1972 in Hampstead, north London, to German Jewish parents. * * She attended the indepen ...

through the third and final section of the epic poem, the ''Paradiso''.

Projects

In recent years, the VHI has carried out projects on: the relationship between Catholic Social Teaching and the UK Government's 'Big Society' programme; on religious freedom in domestic and international politics; on Intellectual Property questions in the light of Catholic Social Teaching; on illegal trafficking in human organs; and on applying the sustainability and capabilities concepts of Amartya Sen and Martha Nussbaum.

Other activities

The VHI runs public lectures including the Von Hügel Lecture (delivered in 2012/13 by Professor

Stanley Hauerwas Stanley Martin Hauerwas (; born July 24, 1940) is an American Protestant theologian, ethicist, and public intellectual. Hauerwas originally taught at the University of Notre Dame before moving to Duke University. Hauerwas was a longtime professo ...

, in 2013/14 by the former Irish President Professor Mary McAleese, 2014/15 by Professor

Joseph H. H. Weiler Joseph Halevi Horowitz Weiler (born 2 September 1951) is an American academic, currently serving as European Union Jean Monnet Chair at New York University School of Law and Senior Fellow of the Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies, ...

, and in 2015/16 by Professor

Denys Turner Denys Alan Turner (born 5 August 1942) is an English philosopher and theologian. Career Turner is the Horace Tracy Pitkin Professor of Historical Theology emeritus at Yale University, having been appointed in 2005. He was previously the N ...

); the Lattey Lecture which examines the links between Catholic Biblical Studies and Catholic Social Teaching (delivered in 2012 by Archbishop

Bernard Longley Bernard Longley (born 5 April 1955) is an English prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was named the Archbishop of Birmingham on 1 October 2009, and installed on 8 December 2009. Early life and ministry Bernard Longley was born in Opensh ...

of the Archdiocese of Birmingham, UK and in 2013 by Rev Timothy Radcliffe OP, former Master of the Dominican Order). The theme for 2012-13 lecture series was "Multidisciplinary Perspectives on the Human Person", in 2013-14, "Faith and Governance", in 2014-15, "Ethics and Public Life", and 2015–16, "Mercy".

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Von Hugel Institute Research institutes in the United Kingdom