taylor attended parochial and public schools, graduating from ponca city, oklahoma in 1972. he attended the university of oklahoma for two years, after which he was accepted as a seminarian for the archdiocese of oklahoma city. he attended st. meinrad seminary college in indiana for two years, graduating with a bachelor's degree in history. from 1976 to 1980 he was trained for the priesthood at the north american college in rome while studying theology at the gregorian university.