Born in Windsor, Ontario, Daniels studied at St. Peter’s Seminary in London, and received a master’s of divinity degree from the University of Western Ontario. He was ordained to the priesthood in May 1983 for the Diocese of London.
In 1989 he was named diocesan chancellor, and four years later vicar general and moderator of the curia.
The Diocese of London, headed by Bishop Ronald Fabbro, has a Catholic population of 444,310. It is served by 160 diocesan priests, 71 religious order priests, three permanent deacons, and 479 religious sisters and brothers.