|
FORT WORTH (CNS) • Bishop Joseph Patrick Delaney, head of the Diocese of Fort Worth for the last 24 years, died in his sleep July 12 at his Fort Worth home.
The 70-year-old prelate had battled pancreatic cancer for the last two years. Even though the cancer was in remission, he had struggled with declining health in the wake of surgery and other treatment.
His death came one day before the episcopal ordination of Bishop-designate Kevin W. Vann, appointed as coadjutor bishop of Fort Worth in May. The ceremony went forward with Bishop Vann installed as head of the diocese.
Archbishop José H. Gomez said of Bishop Delaney, “He was a dedicated and faithful servant to the Diocese of Fort Worth and the church of Texas for many years. I am saddened at his passing at this important moment in the life of the church in Texas. My sadness is tempered by the faith that we share as believers in the risen Christ, that God has awarded him the gift of perfect happiness with him forever.” |
|
Bishop Joseph Patrick Delaney
CNS photo |
|
|
Bishop Delaney’s body went to a Fort Worth funeral home for viewing July 14-17, when it was transferred to St. Patrick Cathedral in Fort Worth for an evening vigil Mass. His funeral Mass was held July 18, followed by interment at Mount Olivet Cemetery.
Bishop Delaney was only the second bishop of Fort Worth and led the 28-county diocese and its more than 400,000 Catholics during a time of growth and change.
He was responsive to the changing demographics of Catholicism in north Texas, instituting the area’s first Spanish-language Masses. Though he was by nature reserved, Bishop Delaney displayed personal magnetism in working with people on a one-on-one basis. He inspired great loyalty from his staff and diocesan employees as well as both priests and parishioners of the Fort Worth Diocese.
Joseph Patrick Delaney was born in Fall River, Mass., on Aug. 29, 1934. The son of police officer Joseph Delaney, he was the eldest of five siblings and grew up with one sister and three brothers. His mother, Jane, was originally from Tipperary, Ireland. In 1981, on the occasion of her son’s ordination as Fort Worth bishop, she told a reporter that while growing up, her oldest boy had always aspired to be a priest.
Joseph Patrick — as he was always called by his mother to distinguish him from his father — attended Monsignor Coyle High School in Taunton, Mass.; Cardinal O’Connell Seminary in Boston; Theological College in Washington; and the North American College in Rome.
He was ordained a priest on Dec. 18, 1960, in Rome for the Diocese of Fall River. He came to Diocese of Brownsville in 1967 and was incardinated as a priest of the Diocese of Brownsville four years later.
In Fall River, he served as assistant pastor of Sacred Heart Parish and teacher and chaplain of James Coyle High School, both in Taunton. He was also assistant superintendent of schools for the Massachusetts diocese.
While assigned to the Diocese of Brownsville, Delaney served as assistant pastor of St Jude Parish in Pharr and Our Lady of Sorrows in McAllen.
He was later pastor of both Good Shepherd and Christ the King parishes in Brownsville. He was also appointed superintendent of schools and co-chancellor of the Brownsville Diocese as well as chief judge of the diocesan marriage tribunal.
Bishop Delaney was ordained as the second bishop of Fort Worth on Sept. 13, 1981, by Archbishop Patrick F. Flores of San Antonio, who is now retired, and Bishop John J. Cassata, the first bishop of Fort Worth, now deceased.
That ceremony took place in the Tarrant County Convention Center, now called the Fort Worth Convention Center, and was attended by more than 7,000 participants, including then-U.S. House Speaker Jim Wright and Fort Worth Mayor Woodie Woods.
At the time of his death, Bishop Delaney was a consultant to the U.S. bishops’ Subcommittee on Lay Ministry. He had previously chaired the subcommittee and the full Committee on the Laity.
|