Daly

Msgr. John K. Daly

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Msgr. John K. Daly, who served as pastor of three parishes and was a former Columbia University chaplain, died March 6 in Delray Beach, Fla., where he was living in retirement. He was 95.

Bishop Gerald Barbarito of Palm Beach offered the Funeral Mass March 8 at Emmanuel Church in Delray Beach, and Father Raymond Hubert, a former pastor, was homilist.

Msgr. Daly was pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows parish, White Plains, from 1974 until he retired in 1985.

Before that he was pastor of St. Augustine’s, Larchmont, 1969-1974, and St. Joseph’s, Croton Falls, 1967-1969.

He was a professor at Cathedral College in Manhattan, for men studying for the priesthood, from 1941 to 1944.

From 1945 to 1955, he was Catholic chaplain at Columbia University, succeeding the legendary Father George B. Ford.

He served at Columbia during a time of great transition at mid-century, as a generation emerged from World War II and confronted a new, ominous “cold war.” He had described the era as a time of great challenge and great opportunity, as a massive influx of returning veterans began studies under the G.I. bill.

Recalling those years later, Msgr. Daly said that he came to realize that Catholicism must be encountered if it is to take root in the hearts of young adults, and that it’s the responsibility of those who minister on university campuses to “lead students to encounter Jesus Christ.”

In 1996, he was honored with the Father Ford Award of Distinction given by Columbia’s campus ministry office.

Msgr. Christopher J. Maloney, the pastor of St. John the Baptist in Yonkers, who was Columbia chaplain at the time, said Msgr. Daly was honored in particular for “the work he did with returning veterans,” including Scripture and theology discussion groups, marriage preparation programs and many other duties.

“It was a remarkable reunion,” he said of the award ceremony. “Many people remembered him, many gave testimonials.”

He described Msgr. Daly as a priest with a “great pastoral sense, a great love of people, and a sense of humor.”

Even in Florida, he continued helping in local parishes for as long as he could, he said. Msgr. Daly also was known as an avid golfer, who traveled to courses around the globe and recorded two holes in one and five eagles.

Born in Manhattan, Msgr. Daly studied for the priesthood at Cathedral College and at St. Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie. He was ordained in 1936.

After earning a master’s degree at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., he served with the archdiocesan Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (C.C.D.) program while a parochial vicar first at SS. Peter and Paul parish and then at Holy Spirit, both in the Bronx. He also was a parochial vicar at Blessed Sacrament, New Rochelle, 1956-1967.

He also did post-graduate work at Fordham University and Columbia Teacher’s College, and was an instructor of theology at Fordham, 1941-1943, and at Marymount College, 1962-1964.

He was named a monsignor in 1983.

Burial was in Queen of Peace Cemetery, Royal Palm Beach, Fla.

Msgr. John K. Daly