His father was a wire chief for American Telephone & Telegraph in Omaha, Nebraska, and his mother took care of the home.

These groups later assisted McCauley during his missionary efforts during troubled periods of the Great Depression and World War II.

He graduated in 1924 and entered at Creighton University's College of Arts and Letters as part of the class of 1928, but in November 1924 left Council Bluffs to join the Congregation of Holy Cross.

He was ordained a priest on June 24, 1934 by Bishop John F. Noll at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Notre Dame.

After his 1934 ordination, the Congregation of Holy Cross, with the economic hardship of the Great Depression, had insufficient funds to send McCauley overseas.

[1]: 20–22 A recovering economy allowed McCauley to be assigned to East Bengal, a territory that roughly corresponds to modern day Bangladesh.

[1]: 35 From 1936 to 1939 McCauley was assigned to Bandhura to work in education, teaching in Bandura Holy Cross High School and forming catechists.

Eventually, during World War II, Holy Cross persuaded the U.S. Army to provide medical evacuation for McCauley.

They were sent to recommend if the Congregation of Holy Cross should assume responsibility for a mission in Uganda within the kingdoms of Bunyoro and Toro.

McCauley supported the proposal; superiors in the order agreed, and plans were drawn up to send a group of religious to serve in Uganda.

[1]: 102  After three years to become established, Holy Cross and McCauley created the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fort Portal.

[1]: 114 After setting up the Holy Cross mission in Uganda, Vincent McCauley was appointed as the first bishop of Fort Portal.

McCauley also led and supported the development of religious congregations of women, and promoted their movement into new areas of ministry.

In 1964, during the Second Vatican Council, McCauley became chairman of the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA).