Thomas Quentin Shanley, O.P.
Jubilarian
Birth: June 12, 1913
Profession: August 16, 1934
Ordination: May 31, 1940
Died: January 25, 2002
Thomas Joseph Shanley was born in New Haven, CT to Thomas Patrick and Rose Ann (Bohan) Shanley. He was educated in that city at St. Mary School (1920-27) and Hillhouse High School (1927-29) before entering Aquinas College High School in Columbus, OH (1929-31). After high school he continued his education at Providence College (1931). He entered the novitiate of St. Joseph Province at St. Rose Priory, Springfield, KY (1933) receiving the religious name, Quentin. He made his first profession of vows there a year later.
Br. Quentin studied philosophy at the Dominican House of Studies in River Forest, IL from 1934-37 and theology at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, DC where he was ordained at St. Dominic Church by the Most Reverend Michael Curley, Archbishop of Baltimore.
Fr. Shanley began his priestly ministry at Aquinas College High School (1941-47). For the next ten years (1947-57) he was stationed at St. Vincent Ferrer Priory as Assistant Director of the National Confraternity of the Holy Name Society and its “Holy Name Journal”.
In 1957 he began his long career in parochial work, first as parochial assistant at St. Antoninus parish, Newark, NJ (1957-59), then as pastor of Holy Innocents parish in Pleasantville, NY (1959-65). He returned to his native parish of St. Mary, New Haven, CT where he ministered until his health failed and he became a resident at St. Regis Health Center in that city until his death.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at St. Mary’s Church with Fr. Norman Haddad, Provincial, presiding, and Fr. William Holt, pastor, as preacher. He was laid to rest in the Dominican Friar’s plot at St. Lawrence Cemetery, West Haven, CT.