Career
Born in Fall River, Massachusetts, Delaney was ordained a priest for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fall River on December 18, 1960. In 1971, he was incardinated into the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brownsville, Texas. On July 10, 1981, he was named bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth, Texas and was consecrated on September 13, 1981.
He died while in office.
Bishop-elect Kevin West. Vann was to be consecrated the next day and become coadjutor to Bishop Delaney. That ceremony went on as scheduled with Bishop Vann immediately becoming bishop of the diocese.