Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint Petersburg - Bishop Larkin

Bishop Larkin

Monsignor W. Thomas Larkin, the Vicar General of the diocese and interim diocesan administrator, was 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.

In the summer of 1984, one of two new Florida dioceses was created out of the lower portion of the Diocese of St. Petersburg. After the establishment of the Diocese of Venice on October 25, the Diocese of St. Petersburg comprised Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas Counties.

Larkin expanded the outreach of the social ministries of the diocese, established a radio station (WBVM 90.5 FM), and further sought to keep pace with the population growth and economic expansion of the 1980s. His pastoral plan to develop new parishes had to be curtailed due to mounting debt and a general economic downturn.

Larkin announced his retirement for health reasons in November 1988. He died in November 2007.