Fr. Patrick (Harman) Shanley of St. Cecelia was born May 4, 1896, in Athlone, Ireland to parents Michael and Gertrude (nee Perry) Shanley. He graduated from Belvedere College in Dublin. He entered  the British Army and served as an officer in the Connaught Rangers during World War I. He was wounded in October 1918 and remained a prisoner of war at Karlsruhe, Germany until the end of the war. He later traveled to Canada and the United States. He entered the Discalced Carmelite Order at Holy Hill, Wisconsin on November 23, 1924, making his simple profession at Holy Hill on November 24, 1925, and his solemn profession in Milwaukee on November 24, 1928. He was ordained to the priesthood on December 21, 1930 in Dublin, Ireland.

After serving as the First Rector of the Minor Seminary at Holy Hill, Fr. Shanley became a chaplain with the United States Army during World War II (1943-1945) serving in the US and Philippine Islands. After the war, he was superior to a group of missionaries from Washington Province who founded the Carmelite mission in Infanta on the east coast of Luzon in the Philippines (1946). He was appointed Apostolic Administrator of Prelature Nullius of Infanta in 1951. In 1954, he became the first Prelate Ordinary of Infanta and was consecrated titular Bishop of Sophene (Mesopotamia) the same year at the Carmelite Monastery Chapel in Quezon City, Philippines. Due to poor health, he retired as Prelate Ordinary in 1960 and moved to Villa Maria Nursing Home in North Miami, Florida. There he served as chaplain at Villa Maria as well as Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Miami from 1962 until his death.

Bishop Shanley entered eternal life on January 2, 1970. The wake was held in Miami at St. Mary’s Cathedral Rectory. After the Mass, the body was transferred to the Blessed Sacrament Chapel in the Cathedral where it laid in state until the following morning. The Pontifical Funeral was held at the Cathedral on that day; Archbishop Coleman Carroll presided. Bishop John Fitzpatrick celebrated the liturgy.

The body was then transferred to Washington, DC for a wake at the Carmelite Monastery Chapel and a vigil service. A Concelebrated Mass was later held in the Carmelite Chapel with Fr. Peter Thomas Rohrbach giving the homily. Burial was held at St. Mary’s Cemetery adjacent to the Monastery of Washington.