Daniel Ernest Della Penta was born on December 10, 1895, in Buffalo, New York, and received his basic education at local public and parochial grade schools and at Hutchinson Central High School in Buffalo. After two years of study at Aquinas College in Columbus, Ohio, he entered the Dominican novitiate at St. Joseph Priory in Somerset, Ohio, where he was given Marcolinus for a religious name and made his first profession on September 16, 1917. Philosophical studies were taken at St. Rose Priory, Springfield, Kentucky, and theological courses at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, D.C. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 14, 1923, at St. Dominic's Church in Washington.

After completing a year of additional studies for the Lectorate in Theology, Father Della Penta was assigned to Providence College as an instructor in philosophy, religion, and Italian. In 1932, he was sent to Aquinas High School in Columbus, Ohio, to teach mathematics and religion. Five years later, he was named to the faculty of Purcell High School in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he taught Latin, English, and religion while also serving as chaplain to the Dominican Nuns at Holy Name Monastery in Cincinnati.

In 1938, Father Della Penta was sent to Mater Dolorosa Parish in Independence, Louisiana, as pastor. For twenty-four years he worked to foster the religious and educational growth of Mater Dolorosa and of Our Lady of Pompeii Parish in neighboring Tickfaw, Louisiana. In 1976, Father Della Penta's years of service in Independence and the Tangipahoa area were given public recognition at the annual Little Italy festival in Independence, dedicated "with appreciation and affection to honor Father Daniel Mark Della Penta for his years of faithful service as a religious leader whose works promoted the intellectual, social, moral, and religious welfare of the people he served. His many achievements, spiritually and materially, will long be remembered as the contributions of a great leader and friend."

After leaving the parish ministry in Independence, Father Della Penta took up residence at Holy Ghost community in Hammond, Louisiana, in August 1962, while serving as chaplain to Seventh Ward General Hospital, Heritage Manor, and Belle Maison nursing homes in Hammond.

Although the enervating effects of diabetes, heart disease, and cancer gradually curtailed his activities during the last year of his life, Father Della Penta continued to minister to the sick to the best of his ability until the time of his death on January 3, 1978. Following funeral services in Mater Dolorosa Church, he was buried in the community cemetery in Rosaryville, Ponchatoula, Louisiana.