William Thomas Larkin

Who was William Thomas Larkin?

William Thomas Larkin was the Roman Catholic bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of St. Petersburg, Florida.

Born in Mount Morris, New York, Larkin was ordained to the priesthood on May 15, 1947. He later served as Vicar General of the Diocese of St. Petersburg and interim diocesan administrator, before being appointed the Second Bishop of St. Petersburg on April 17, 1979. He was ordained to the episcopate on May 27 by his former classmate, Pope John Paul II. Bishop Larkin was formally installed as the diocese's second bishop on June 28.

A period of tremendous growth occurred during Bishop Larkin's tenure. Larkin's ambitious pastoral plan resulted in the establishment of fifteen new parishes and three new schools. Larkin expanded the outreach of the social ministries of the diocese, established a radio station, and further sought to keep pace with the population growth and economic expansion of the 1980s. On November 29, 1988, Larkin retired for health reasons. He died on November 4, 2006.

Bishop Larkin Catholic School in Port Richey, Florida is named in his honor, as is the Bishop W. Thomas Larkin Pastoral Center in St. Petersburg which has housed the diocese's main offices since early 2000.