May 17, 2017
Bishop Thomas V. Daily was born on September 23, 1927, in Belmont, Mass.; ordained a priest in the Archdiocese of Boston on January 10, 1952; and ordained a bishop on February 11, 1975. He was appointed as the first Bishop of the new Diocese of Palm Beach in 1984 and served in that role until his appointment as Bishop of Brooklyn in 1990. Bishop Daily announced his retirement in 2003 and remained as Bishop Emeritus until his passing on May 15, 2017.
In an announcement to the Diocese of Brooklyn, Most Reverend Nicholas DiMarzio, Ph.D., D.D., Bishop of Brooklyn, said, “Bishop Daily was a man who personified the Second Vatican Council’s call for a preferential option for the poor. He ministered to indigenous people amidst poverty in Peru, women in crisis pregnancies, as well as new and often poor immigrants living in Brooklyn. He never acted out of malice or to further his own self-interest. At heart, he was a missionary.”
During his time as Shepherd of the Diocese of Brooklyn, Bishop Daily’s dedication to Catholic higher education was evident through his unwavering support and counsel to St. John’s University. For his commitment to the University’s Mission, St. John’s bestowed upon him two of its highest honors, an Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree and the Gold Medal.
“We are saddened by the loss of Bishop Thomas V. Daily, who was a great friend to our University and who is remembered fondly by all who knew him,” said Conrado “Bobby” Gempesaw, Ph.D., President of St. John’s. “Bishop Daily shared a devotion to St. John’s Catholic and Vincentian Mission, and we are grateful for the contributions he made to our University and our diocese.”