Background
Lacey was born in the Greater Toronto Area and attended Saint Helen"s Separate School and Saint Michael’s College before entering Saint Augustine"s Seminary in 1936, aged 19.
Lacey was born in the Greater Toronto Area and attended Saint Helen"s Separate School and Saint Michael’s College before entering Saint Augustine"s Seminary in 1936, aged 19.
He was ordained on May 23, 1943 in Saint Michael"s Cathedral by Archbishop James C. McGuigan. From 1943-1957 Lacey assisted at Saint Patrick"s Parish (Portuguese Colborne), Saint Cecilia"s Parish (Toronto), Saint Monica"s Parish (Toronto) and Saint Pius X Parish (Toronto). He was appointed auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Toronto on May 3, 1979, and was consecrated on June 21, 1979.
He remained as auxiliary bishop of the Toronto Archdiocese until his retirement on May 31, 1993, and continued as Titular Bishop of Diano until his death on April 2, 2014.
A strong supporter of Catholic education, Monsignor Lacey served as a Trustee of the Metropolitan Separate School Board and was one of the lead organizers in the development of Saint Stephen’s Downtown Chapel, serving the business community, which opened in 1977. A strong supporter of the pro-life movement, Bishop Lacey was actively involved in the National March for Life from its earliest years. e was the only bishop to say the Mass for the March for Life in the early years of the event", according to John-Henry Westen, editor-in-chief of LifeSiteNews.
Lacey was appointed a Prelate of Honour with the title of Monsignor on September 13, 1967. After reaching the age of 75, he resigned, and retired in his native Toronto.