Father John J. Delaney

Father John J. Delaney, who served as assistant judicial vicar of the Metropolitan Tribunal from 1986 until his retirement in 2002, died July 4. He was 84.

He served for more than three decades at the Metropolitan Tribunal. He also served as pro-synodal judge, 1977-1986; defender of the bond, 1976-1977; and canonical consultant, 1968-1976.

Auxiliary Bishop Gerald Walsh, vicar general, was to offer a Funeral Mass July 9 at ArchCare’s Mary Manning Walsh Home in Manhattan, where Father Delaney had resided in recent years.

Msgr. Desmond Vella, who resides at Immaculate Conception parish in Manhattan, was to be the homilist. Msgr. Vella, former longtime judicial vicar of the Tribunal, served for many years with Father Delaney at the Metropolitan Tribunal and the two also were in residence at Immaculate Conception in Manhattan. Father Delaney moved to Mary Manning Walsh in 2002 after taking early retirement for medical reasons.

Msgr. Vella described Father Delaney as a “conscientious, thoughtful New York priest.”

“He attended law school in Syracuse and was admitted to the New York State Bar after he finished his studies in civil law,” added Msgr. Vella, who said Father Delaney took up canon law studies after entering the seminary.

“He applied those skills in both to his work,” Msgr. Vella said.

Father Delaney also possessed a sharp wit. “He had a very quick sense of humor and was highly intelligent so he was very quick in his retorts,” Msgr. Vella noted.

Born in Syracuse, he held a bachelor’s degree from Le Moyne University in social studies and a law degree from Syracuse University. He studied Spanish at The Catholic University of America in Ponce, Puerto Rico, 1961-1962.

He studied for the priesthood at St. Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie, and was ordained in 1962.

He served as temporary administrator of St. Joseph of the Holy Family parish in Harlem, 1971-1972. He was parochial vicar at St. Paul’s, East Harlem, 1962-1968.

Burial was in Calvary Cemetery, Queens.