Fr. Ernest E. Larkin, O.Carm.
Father Larkin Ernest E. Larkin was born in Chicago on August 19, 1922. He entered Mount Carmel College, Niagara Falls, Ontario as a high school seminarian, and graduated in June, 1939. He made profession of vows in 1940, and graduated from Mount Carmel College with a BA in philosophy, 1943. He was ordained a priest on June 8, 1946.
Fr. Larkin’s theological studies at Whitefriars were completed in June, 1947, and he did post-graduate work in English literature at Catholic University during the summers. His graduate studies in theology were completed at the “Angelicum” (St. Thomas University), Rome, and he was awarded the STD in 1954.
Larkin was assigned to Whitefriars, the major seminary of the Order, where he served as teacher, spiritual director and, eventually, master of students from 1951 to 1959. In 1959, Larkin was appointed lecturer in ascetical and mystical theology at The Catholic University of America where he continued as assistant and then associate professor until his resignation in 1971. During this period he also taught in the MA program for novice mistresses at St. Mary’s College, Notre Dame, and gave his first paper for the Catholic Theological Society of America. “The Role of Creatures in the Spiritual Life” (1962). He was also consulting editor in the ascetical-mystical area for the “New Catholic Encyclopedia” in which several of his articles were published.
During his tenure at Catholic University, Larkin gave addresses at the Conference of Major Superiors of Men of Mundelein, IL, and spoke at several meetings of the Canon Law Society of America as well as The Sister Formation Conference. He was active within his own Carmelite Community, serving on the provincial council from 1966 to 1972, with special responsibilities in the area of spiritual life. He was elected delegate to the General Chapter in Rome in 1965, 1968, 1971 and 1983.
Physical health problems forced a medical leave from the University in February, 1970. Larkin was invited to be theologian-in-residence in the newly-created diocese of Phoenix, AZ, and after his leave of absence for the academic year, 1970-1971, Larkin resigned from Catholic University.
In 1972, Fr. Larkin co-founded Kino Institute which was established as the Phoenix Diocesan School of Adult Religious Education for Clergy, Religious and Laity. He was the first president and helped frame the Institute’s goals and purposes. Enrollment grew to 1780 students in two years.
During the 1970’s, Larkin gave many retreats and workshops throughout the country and abroad including the Far East. He taught summer school at St. Louis University (1978) and Creighton University, Omaha (1979), and was the bishop’s liaison with the Catholic Charismatic Movement in Phoenix.
Several of Larkin’s papers were published during this period, and the ground-breaking book, “Spiritual Renewal of the American Priesthood,” commissioned by the Bishop’s Conference, was published in 1973. Larkin was co-editor and wrote the final draft. In the 1980’s, Larkin’s ministry included renewal programs at Notre Dame for “Retreats International” and the “Continuing Education Program for Clergy” as well as ongoing formation programs for Carmelites in Rome. He was consultant for the spirituality section of the international review, “Concilium,” and for the “Center for Human Development,” Washington, DC. These years also saw the publication of two books by Father Larkin, “Silent Presence” (1981, revised and enlarged in 2001), a discussion of discernment as a process and a problem, and “Christ Within Us” (1984), a book of essays exploring the contemporary experience of Christ, Church and self.
In 1982, Larkin was founding member of the “Carmelite Forum,” a group of scholars from both observances engaged in studying and promoting Carmelite Spirituality. Their annual seminars, held at St. Mary’s College in Notre Dame, have drawn clergy and laity from all parts of the country. Larkin’s presentations have been published in periodicals and collections of the seminar as well as in audio cassettes. (ICS Publications) “The Carmelite Forum” at St. Mary’s in Notre Dame June, 2000. It was published by Paulist Press with other essays from that seminar in “Carmelite Prayer,” a festschrift honoring Fr. Ernie, a pioneer in the study of Carmelite Spirituality.
His paper “Jubilee Spirituality” was awarded first prize from the Catholic Press Association for “Articles on Spirituality for the year 2000.”
Father Larkin continued to teach, give retreats, participate in workshops and write until his death in 2006.
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