Ninth Synod of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia
The Ninth Synod was convoked by Dennis Cardinal Dougherty in 1934. The
opening Mass was celebrated in Saint Martin's Chapel at Saint Charles Borromeo
Seminary, Overbrook, on April 26. Cardinal Dougherty presided over the
sessions of the synod, and Rt. Rev. Msgr. Hugh L. Lamb acted as secretary.
The decrees of the Ninth Synod reaffirmed the decrees of the Councils of
Baltimore and Philadelphia, as the Eighth Synod had done. It also revoked
all previous diocesan statutes. Topics addressed by the other decrees and
statutes included:
 | regulations for diocesan priests:
 | mandatory attendance at clergy conferences and annual retreat; |
| attire inside and outside the rectory; |
| salaries and wills of priests; |
| rules for use and ownership of automobiles |
|
| regulations for the sacraments:
| times for public Masses; |
| rules for celebration of Penance and Matrimony; |
| regulations for sermons:
 | required every Sunday; |
| four times a year dealt with marriage and divorce; |
| frequent exhortations against alcohol abuse, improper movies and
shows; |
| avoid discussion of political matters |
| sermons should be delivered from memory, not read; |
| funeral sermons should not be eulogies |
|
| announcements from the pulpit confined to religious notices; |
|
| regulations concerning Catholic schools
| obligation of parents to send children to parochial schools, unless
grave reason required otherwise; |
| new parishes would open schools as soon as possible; |
| regulations concerning number of school days |
|
| annual collection in each parish for Saint Charles Seminary; |
| 17 statutes dealing with management of parish property and funds. |
