Seventh Synod of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia

The Seventh Synod was convoked by Archbishop Patrick J. Ryan in 1886.  It opened on November 4, in the chapel of Saint Charles Seminary, Overbrook.

Rev. Msgr. Corcoran acted as secretary of the synod, the first held since Philadelphia was raised to an archdiocese in 1875.  Rev. Ignatius Horstmann was assistant secretary.

The decrees of the synod, which were promulgated at the quarterly clergy conference in January 1887, applied the decrees of the Third Plenary Council of Baltimore (1884).  Particular attention was paid to the Council's decree on Catholic Education, which led to the creation of the first Archdiocesan School Board (convened on February 28, 1887).

Overview / I:1832 / II:1842 / III:1847 / IV:1853 / V:1855 / VI:1857 / VII:1886 / VIII:1912 / IX:1934

The Archdiocese of Philadelphia serves over 1.4 million Catholics in the five counties of
Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery
 in the southeastern part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. 

The archdiocesan website is http://www.archphila.org

Copyright © 2002, 2001 Archdiocese of Philadelphia

Last revision: 29 May 2003